Harry Potter and the Whiskey Wedding
by Ash J Boomstick
Summary: Harry Potter is ready for his 3rd year at Hogwarts, he's blown up his Aunt Marge and staying at the Leaky Cauldron. His summer isn't all fun and games though, a recent escaped mass murderer has the Ministry flustered and they find a Marriage Contract that wreaks of Ogden's Finest signed by Sirius Black and James Potter. Now Harry has to survive a madman and plan a wedding!
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I don't know if I can, but I will try to make every chapter the same length as this first one. This was an undertaking of massive proportions and I spent just as long researching as I did writing it. And my fingers are now quite sore from typing all day long. This story is an answer to WhiteTigerWolf's Whiskey Wedding Challenge. The details for the challenge will be below beneath a character/actor list.

* * *

Now, the character/actor/actress line up. I did it for this one, this is probably my only story to do so.

Harry Potter: Daniel Radcliff

Sirius Black: Gary Oldman

Remus Lupin: David Thewlis

Nymphadora Tonks: Metamorphmagus (I can make her look like whoever)

Andromeda Black: Jessie Shannon

Bellatrix Black: Crystal McCahill

Narcissa Black: Shannon Richards

Lily Potter: Scarlett Johansson

* * *

**Whiskey Wedding Challenge **

There are quite a few stories on this site involving marriage contracts. And I got to thinking, what if James had gotten drunk and signed a marriage contract for Harry, one that married him to the wrong witch. Ex. He goes out drinking with Amelia Bones brother, the Head of the Bones family, and meaning to write a contract between Susan and Harry, the two drunks accidentally make a contract between Amelia and Harry.

**Requirements:**

- Harry must be involved in a marriage contract

- James and whomever he made the contract with must be drunk when the contact is drawn up

- James and whomever he made the contact with cannot remember, and hence tell anyone, about the contract

- Harry's bride must be someone he doesn't know well, if at all

- Harry and his bride must be married by his 15th borthday

- Harry and his bride must recieve between one years and one month notice of the deadline to marry

- If harry and his bride do not marry, thier lives and magic will be forfieted

**Recomended:**

- Harry/Amelia Bone

- Harry/Andromeda Tonks

- Harry/Gwenog Jones

- Pregnancy

* * *

"I, James Charlus Potter, do on this date of October 31st 1980 enter the House of Potter into a contract of marriage with the House of Black.  
By midnight of his fourteenth year, Harry James Potter, son of James Charlus Potter, Lord Peverell, shall be wed to the Daughters of the House of Black as agreed to by Sirius Orion Black, Lord Black. As with the old traditions of our families, should the agreed upon parties not be wed, may both Houses fall to ruin, their Magic lost and their Lives shall be forfeit. So Mote It Be.

Signed by: James Potter and Sirius Black

Witnessed by: Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew.

"Well, there she goes," James said drunkenly as he watched the little house-elf, Betty, disappear from the confines of Potter Manor to the Department of Contracts of Agreements at the Ministry of Magic. Tiredly, he removed his glasses to wipe at his eyes as the fire burning in the fireplace nearby began to hurt his eyes. "You, you know," he said as he put his glasses back on, "Lily will be so happy," he said stupidly. "Finally the Potters and the Blacks will be one family."

The snort of his best friend sitting next to him made him look over. Remus and Peter had already passed out, unable to keep up the drinking game they had played to decide whose children would marry whose leaving James and Sirius alone at the table. "Idiot," Sirius Black said, a grin spread across his handsome aristocratic face. "You're mum's a Black, Prongs," the man cleverly nicknamed Padfoot explained. "We're already family," the recently titled Lord Black slurred as he dropped his head arms that he had crossed on the mahogany table. "Now shush, I'm going to rest for a minute."

"Oh, yeah," James slurred as he followed his best friend's example and put his head down. "Just, just don't forget to have kids soon Paddy. I don't want my son marrying some brat whose still in diapers." He opened his eyes, looking toward the man who he had been friends with since his first trip to Hogwarts on the Express, but the other man was already sound asleep. "Humph, light weight," James snorted even as sleep over took him as well. The bottle of Ogden's Finest Firewhiskey remained standing, innocently, on the table, what was left of its pale amber liquid glistening in the firelight.

* * *

Harry Potter woke up with a start at the sound of someone knocking on his door. He blinked in confusion as he reached for his glasses trying to figure out just where he was. The room, while rather spartan, was much better than the one he normally slept in when at home for the summer, but not as nice as his room at Hogwarts. Shifting so that he was sitting, he put is glasses on and frowned before his memories of the night before returned. He almost snorted at the memory of Marge Dursley swelling up like a balloon if it hadn't been mixed with the rage at her comments at his parents and his fear of reprisal from the Ministry of Magic.

Another knock at his door, this time louder and more forceful made him rise from his bed quickly, glad he had remembered to pack his pajamas in his trunk before he had stormed out. With quick strides he reached the door to his room at the Leaky Cauldron and pulled it open to see who it was. A woman with dark red hair stood on the other side of the door, dressed in a dark forest green robe over a black jacket and shorts that reached her mid calf and a pair of black boots. "Oi, you Harry Potter," she said with a rather forceful growl in her voice.

"Um, yeah," the black-haired thirteen year old said in confusion. His green eyes looking up at her black narrowed ones as she glared down at him. His eyes shifted to the shiny silver badge on her chest, noting the 'M' and crossed wands in its center. Above the symbol were the words 'Department of Magical Law Enforcement' and beneath those was the phrase 'Auror Department'. "Oh! You're an auror," he said blinking his eyes at the badge before stepping back and holding the door open. "Please, come in."

"_Sorry_ to bust in you," the Auror said sarcasm easy to hear as she stepped over the threshold and looked about the small room for any threats. "I have orders to bring you down to the Ministry." The woman was all business as she remained standing next to the door. "It seems somethings come up in the Black case and they have requested your presence at the Department of Contracts and Agreements."

The black-haired boy nodded a small smile on his face as he went to his trunk and began to dig for his school uniform and robe. "I've never been to the Ministry of Magic before," he said casually as he pulled out his clothes and began to walk toward his bathroom. "Is it alright if I shower before we leave," he asked, and watched as she gave a stiff nod. "Thanks." Closing the bathroom door, he turned on the water to let it reach the right temperature as he got undressed. "You know, I'm glad they sent someone who isn't into the Boy-Who-Lived crap," he called through the door. "It always seemed so stupid to me. Who exactly are you anyway."

Outside the bathroom, the woman blinked as at the youth's casual dismissal of the title and general view of it. While she had never met him before she would have thought any kid his age would have lived it up with being famous. "The name's Tonks," she answered after a few moments. She began to move around the room, being sure to keep a distance away from his trunk so as not to invade his privacy as she looked around. She did notice the tip of a wand poking out from beneath his pillow however and smirked as she thought of her instructor at the academy.

"So, why do they want me at the Ministry anyway," the boy called back through the door.

"With Black's recent escape, the Ministry's been looking for anything that might have his name attached to it," she answered as her hair gradually shifted from red to pink and her black eyes became the color of honey. "They found a contract that he had signed off on along with your father. A marriage contract," she explained. The sound of something falling in the tub had her moving toward the door. "Potter? Everything alright in there?"

"A what," the boy shouted back, sounding closer to the door and causing Tonks to step back from it.

"A marriage contract," she answered and heard the ruffling of cloth on the other side of the door. "It means your dad and Sirius Black arranged a marriage for you," she explained. The door to the bathroom swung open, revealing the boy dressed in a button up white shirt with a grey sweater vest and black khaki pants. His shoes though were coming apart at the soles, and if she wasn't mistaken, he wasn't wearing any socks. "Isn't that your Hogwarts uniform?"

The boy shrugged his shoulders as he blushed. "Don't have much else," he admitted. The teenager looked at her quickly and blinked as he took in her appearance. "Um, not to sound crazy but... weren't your hair and eyes a different color just now," he asked perplexed as he walked toward his bed and grabbed his wand before putting it in his back pocket.

Tonks eyed the young man as her auror training kicked in. Despite the wealth of the Potter family, the boy's shoes and lack of descent clothing other than his school uniform sent up red flags about his upbringing. "I'm a metamorphmagus," Tonks said with a shrug. "I can change my appearance at will," she explained as her spiky pink hair changed to black and her eyes turned green to match his own. "Now, let's go. And take that wand out of your back pocket before you blast off a buttock."

"Do you know anyone whose ever blown theirs off," Harry asked even as he did as she asked and moved slid it behind his ear like a pencil.

The auror shook her head. "Nope, but that's what my instructor used to say. Now come on, we'll use the floo downstairs and get this whole thing wrapped up shortly. I suggest when you get back you invest in a wand holster from old Ollivander."

Harry stopped and looked at the auror in abject horror. "The floo," he asked with dread in his voice. "Can't we go some other way? We could take the Knight Bus right," he asked as he chased after her, being sure to shut and lock his door as they left. "Come on Auror Tonks, isn't there a better way than that?"

* * *

Narcissa Malfoy seemed to glide across the marble floor of what was once Lestrange Estate but was now named Black Hall. The grey eyed woman was a sight to behold, the envy of women wherever she decided to grace with her presence. Her blonde hair, dyed by magic to fit in with her family by marriage, hung in curls across her shoulders and reached to the small of her back. Her pouting lips colored crimson against her pale skin with just a touch of blush to add color. Her ample thirty-six inch bust pushed on thin emerald material that made up her formfitting dress, and stretched the opening between her neck and breasts to show her deep cleavage.

At one hundred and ten pounds, she was thankful for the featherweight charms that the manufacturer had implanted into her custom-made bras and the fact she had never been forced to wear a corset. She had been so proud of her figure that she had honestly and promptly refused her husband's pleas for an heir and had only been partly surprised when he had brought the little toe-rag he dared name Draco home just a month after their wedding. For thirteen years she had bit back her distaste at calling the son her husband had produced with some Knockturn Ally slag her child, at least in public. She never let Lucius forget her disapproval when they were alone, even if she bit her tongue around the boy himself.

Now though, she had received a summons from the Ministry of Magic, more importantly the Department of Contracts and Agreements. She was of course surprised to learn of a marriage contract superseding the arranged marriage her aunt, Walburga had created for the Malfoys. Though, she wasn't upset to learn that the marriage to Lucius was illegal and he would be paying a hefty 'fee' to erase this particular blunder from the pages of the _Daily Prophet_. She had been startled though to receive letters from her sisters, Bellatrix and Andromeda merely an hour later, with plans to meet at Black Hall.

As she entered the parlor, she spotted her elder siblings, the Black family twins glaring at one another as was the norm. Both of them with their long raven hair just as curled as her own stood near the fireplace in front of the portrait of formidable looking Arcturus Black and his cousin, their grandfather Pollux Black. "Bella, Andy," Narcissa cooed happily as she approached her siblings. "It has been far to long."

"Cissy," Bellatrix acknowledged her youngest sister with a nod and a smirk. Dressed in a black gown with sheer material stretched across her ample chest and revealed her collar bones. What Bella tried to pass a robe to finish her assemble was a set of sleeves that attached across her shoulder blades and fanned down to drag the floor behind as she walked like a cape, with just a hood to cover her head if she wanted. "Andromeda and I were wondering if you received a summons from the Ministry as well."

"You could have just fire called," the blonde sister said with a roll of her eyes. Opening her clutch she reached into its undetectable extension charmed depths before producing her letter. "I did indeed receive one," she answered before passing it to her first born sister before turning to Andromeda. Andromeda was nearly a spitting image of her twin, only with dark eyes that prevalent in the family instead of the blue eyes of their sister and wearing a crimson dress of Acromantula silk that covered her body from neck to toe. "Andy, I'm so happy you saw reason and came back home," she said as she drew her sister into a hug.

Andy smiled as she hugged her sister in return. "It just finally became too much," the witch said with a sad smile. "I suppose the tension was always there, what with my being forced to leave the family because he was a muggleborn. Did you know, he felt I had trapped him in a marriage by purposefully becoming pregnant," she asked with a sniff of her buttoned nose. "Now, with Nymphadora being of age and having a decent paying job, we were finally able to go our separate ways."

"It's a shame you didn't get anything out of it," Bellatrix said with a smirk as she waved at the mansion she called home. "Poor Rudolphus, the sad idiot he was, never saw it coming," she chuckled. "As though I was going to go to Azkaban though. The very thought is laughable if you ask me. A quick Imperio and a signed piece of paper was all I needed to take everything from him after the Dark Lord fell. I get the estate and he gets shipped off to Azkaban after a little bird told the Ministry about his hidden cache."

"I remember there being a poor crying woman at his trial," Narcissa said with a smirk as she turned to look at Bellatrix. "I couldn't imagine the pain you had to endure, being put under the Imperious Curse by your own orders and forced to do the Dark Lord's orders," she said with mock sympathy in her voice. Together, the three Black sister's laughed at the Lestrange's misfortune. "Now, what do these two know about these apparent contracts," Cissy asked as she gestured to the moving portrait.

"Nothing," Andy answered and getting her sisters' attention. "I spoke to Nymphadora who was the one who uncovered the contract," the middle sister said before releasing a sigh. "The contract was the brainchild of Sirius Black, our cousin," she explained with a snort of derision. Her two sisters were looking at her waiting for her to continue. "The idiot filled out a marriage contract with James Potter for one Harry Potter and the 'Daughters of the House of Black'."

"WHAT," Bellatrix shouted, nearly screamed as her eyes turning violet in her rage. "We have to marry that little half-blood mudblood spawn," she growled through her teeth.

A pair of chuckles from above caused the three sisters to turn their attention to the portrait above the fire. "I don't see what the problem is Bellatrix," Arcturus said calmly as he watched his cousin's grandchildren. "You've already bowed and scraped to one half-blood didn't you?" Seeing their confused faces, the muscular former Lord Black chuckled. "That boy you followed, the one who called himself Voldemort was a half-blood named Tom Riddle. You remember him don't you Pollux? That kid who used to run errands for Borgin and Burke?"

"Yeah, I remember him," the younger cousin said with a chuckle. "I was an Auror when he turned in Rubeus Hagrid for killing that Myrtle girl," Pollux said, happy for once that his grandchildren were listening to him. "His story never did match up though. I've never seen a person drop dead from an Acrumantula bite and not have a mark on their body. Plus, he claimed the half-giant boy had found the Chamber of Secrets, claimed he caught him red handed but couldn't take us to it. The captain then waved it off, happy to get a half-giant for the murder."

"What proof do you have," Narcissa asked, ignoring the muttered swearing of her sister to her side as she looked up at her ancestors.

"Oh, this is good," Arcturus said motioning toward Pollux. "He figured it out with his fantastic Auror training," the larger of the two men said with a laugh as he clapped his cousin on the shoulder. "While he was working at Borgin and Burkes one of his clients ended up dead and her elf took the blame for it," he chuckled. "Riddle was the last one to see her alive and was doodling at his desk. Turns out, if you rearrange the letters in the kid's name, Tom Marvolo Riddle, you get 'I am Lord Voldemort'."

"Why didn't you ever say anything," Andromeda asked looking back and forth between the portrait and her stunned sisters. "If you two knew the true identity of Voldemort you could have cut his legs off underneath him by letting those who supported him by telling the world who he really was."

Pollux shook his head sadly. "I couldn't, not with the way Walburga was so enraptured with what he was saying," the man said with a shake of his head. "They had dated briefly in Hogwarts, or so I told." Behind the two younger Black sisters Bellatrix suddenly made a gagging sound at that. "You have to understand that I loved and feared my daughter. I loved her too much to cast her out and if it had come to a duel between us I didn't have the heart to kill her, but I'm sure she had it to kill me."

"Walburga was an animal," Arcturus growled. The sisters looked at their grandfather in surprise when he didn't speak up on his daughter's behalf. "She used Amortentia to ensnare your uncle and claim the title of Lady Black. She had him on it until they had married and then slapped the Imperious Curse on him to make him little more than a slave in his home," he growled. "I didn't find out about it until she was on her death-bed, that crazy bitch came clean to me in her last moments and told me what she had done and how she only regretted her children having not been strong enough to stand at Riddle's side. I killed her myself."

Narcissa looked toward her grandfather, certain he would be shocked by that revelation, only to see him looking away a painted tear running down his cheek. "You were there," she said softly and saw her grandfather nod. Her grey eyes moved her eldest sister who was biting her lip in agitation. The blonde haired Black had always known that Bellatrix looked up to Walburga but that seemed now seemed crushed by what they had just learned. "I'm pretty sure we need to get going," she said quietly and putting her hand on Bella's elbow. "We need to get to the Ministry."

"Come on Bella," Andy said just as softly as she moved to put her arm around her twin sister. "Don't think about her, Bella," she continued as she began to lead her sister from the parlor. "Think about this we're set to marry a boy, who has the entire Potter fortune at his fingertips," she said, causing her sister to look up at her. "He's young and naïve, easily trainable," she said with a chuckle causing Bellatrix to giggle beside her. "Plus, if the rumors are true, he not only defeated the Dark Lord at the age of one but did so at the end of each of his earlier school years, the last one being Lucius's fault."

Both sisters looked to Narcissa who shrugged. "What can I say, Walburga had me marry an idiot," she said casually. "Apparently, he gave the Weasley girl some diary of Voldemort's that possessed her and caused her to open the Chamber of Secrets and release a basilisk into the same school his son attends," she said with a shake of her head. "Potter killed the basilisk, destroyed the diary and then tricked Lucius into freeing our house-elf. He did it all and managed to save the Weasley girl's life, find the Sword of Gryffindor and survive a basilisk bite in the meantime."

Bellatrix shook her head. "What sort of Dark Lord keeps a diary?"

* * *

A tangle of limbs flopped out of one of the various fireplaces located within the Ministry's atrium as Harry and Tonks arrived. Quickly the two of them stood and began to dust themselves off as though nothing had happened, neither looking at the other. Unknown to either of them they both blamed themselves for the terrible tumble. "You were right," Tonks finally admitted as she casually flicked her wand over herself to clear away the soot before turning her wand on the young famous wizard. "The floo was not the way to go."

"That's the third time I've used it, and my best exit yet," Harry muttered before he looked around. His green eyes grew large as he took in the dark grey stonework that made up the framework for the Ministry's atrium. "Merlin, its huge," he whispered as he looked up at all the office windows that looked down into the room. He was a little put off at all the large sweeping banner that showed Cornelius Fudge looking down at the workers hustling and bustling with pride.

A golden fountain stood off toward the end of the atrium with a row of lifts just beyond it. The golden figures of a centaur, a fairy, a house-elf, what Harry thought must have been a leprechaun and a witch were all kneeling in front of an aged and stoic looking wizard and witch who held their wands aloft like royalty. "Auror Tonks, if you don't mind me asking, I um, I know that some wizards and witches look down on other creatures, so I can understand why the other statues are bowing, but why is that witch?"

"Hmm," Tonks asked looking at where Harry was pointing before she recognized just what he was asking. "Well, it was mean to have the likeness of a Veela," she said with a frown of distaste at the display. "I've never really liked that statue," she explained as the pair of them walked past it. "Degrading is what it is, and completely rubbish." She led him to one of the lifts and pushed the button to call it down. "I'm glad to see you've got some sense about you."

Not knowing what to say to that, Harry kept his silence as the lift opened and allowed them to climb on. A young man who he vaguely remembered seeing at Hogwarts last year was standing just inside, his hand on a lever and dressed like a muggle doorman, his face covered in sweat. "Which floor," he asked snappily.

"Third floor please," Tonks answered without really seeming to care about the man's snappish behavior. With a curt nod, the man pulled his lever back to point at the '3' and the doors swung closed. Harry was nearly sent to the ground as the lift instead of moving straight up instead flew backwards almost pulling his feet out from beneath him before it shot upwards. "Sorry about that Potter, forgot this is your first time on a magic lift."

Harry was about to snap at her himself before the lift shifted again, this time jutting forward before a soft ding was heard. "Level three," a disembodied woman's voice said. "Departments of Contracts and Agreements, Lineage and Houses and Exploding Bon-Bon Removal."

"Wait, what was that last one," Harry asked even as he followed the auror off the lift and down the long corridor. He barely heard the guy on the lift mutter something before he pushed his lever forward and let the doors swing shut. "Never mind, I'm sure I don't want to know," he said ignoring the guys mutterings. "So, we've come all the way here but you haven't said who I'm supposed to have an arranged marriage with."

The pink haired woman stopped and turned to look at the boy, her eyes hard for a second before they softened. "You seem to have been taking this awfully well," she said as she sidestepped the boy's question. "You know, if it was me and I found out my old man and some mass murderer had arranged for me to get married, I'd have a tad bit more to say against it," she said before she continued to lead him to the correct office.

"Oh," he muttered before shrugging even though she couldn't see it. "Well, I could get mad but why bother doing that," Harry asked questioningly. "I mean, I don't know much about my parents so whatever I can get helps," he explained. "If my dad thought it was a good idea that I marry whoever it is, than I guess I'll gladly accept it," he said with a smile. "Although, if he was friends with a mass murderer I guess I could be worried, but since I don't know what type of person my dad was, I don't know what type of person Sirius Black was," he continued.

"Of course, that guy back on the Knight Bus said that Black was Voldemort's right hand man, so maybe my parents were followers of his too before he attacked us," Harry said with a shrug. "The way it stands, I'll never know what kind of people they were except from hearsay. It's not like the Mirror of Erised ever let them talk when I saw it."

The auror's eyes narrowed at every word the youth said. While she was still in training to become an auror she still had years of studying pounded into her head and what Harry was saying only fit more with what she had thought earlier at the Leaky Cauldron. The boy's best clothes were his school uniform, he knew nothing of his parents or even what sort of people they were. "I don't know much your parents," she finally said. "However, I do know they weren't Death Eaters. In most of the battles of the last war your parents were present fighting them off."

Harry had never heard the term Death Eater before but it wasn't hard to figure out that it was referring to Voldemort's followers. After several minutes they arrived at a door marked 'Contracts' and stopped. "Well, here you are Potter. Just head inside and someone will be with you shortly, but if I can offer some advice," she said in a conspiratorial whisper and leaned in close. "I'd visit Lineage and Houses down the way," she said jerking her thumb over her shoulder and pointing down the corridor. "I'm sure they have something for you too."

"Thanks Auror Tonks," Harry said genuinely. "It was a pleasure to meet you."

"It was a pleasure to meet you too," she said and was pleasantly surprised to realize she actually meant it. "By the way, you can just call me Tonks," she said with a smile and a shrug before she turned to walk away. "Have fun in there... Dad," she said over her shoulder before she turned a corner whistling.

"Barmy," the youth muttered as he shook his head and turned to the door and stepped inside. As he stepped inside he saw a short squat little woman sitting at a desk in front of a rather plain-looking door her fingers on the keys of an old-fashioned typewriter where she had paused to look up. "Um, Hi," he said giving a small wave. "I'm Harry Potter here about a marriage contract."

The woman's eyes shifted to the young man's forehead and his trademark lightning shaped scar. '_Well, at least I'll never need a license_,' he thought as sarcastically.

"Ah, Mr. Potter," the woman said barely containing a squeal of excitement as she tried to seem professional. "Mr. Riteup is already meeting with your betrothed and is expecting you," she said as she stood and moved to the door and knocked. A moment later she opened it and stuck her inside before turning back to him. "Go right ahead Mr. Potter, he'll see you now."

"Thank you," Harry said politely as he stepped around her desk and walked inside the office. He was a little shocked at how ordinary Mr. Riteup's office looked, with several plants around the room and a desk sitting in front of a filing cabinet. Mr. Riteup himself was an aging man with a swelling gut, his toupee was obvious and combed almost slick back and reminded Harry of a run over cat. He was leaning up against his desk and facing a couch near the door causing Harry to look over as he walked inside and nearly trip over his feet at the three women sitting there.

Three gorgeous women sat side by side on a couch perusing a sheet of parchment with their heads together. They looked up though as he entered and Harry felt himself blush under their attention. "Hi," he said shyly and looked toward the man who was almost glaring at Harry. "Sorry, I'm Harry Potter, the woman outside told me to come in."

"Right, right," Mr. Riteup said as he moved forward to shake Harry's hand. "I'm Devon Riteup, Head of the Department of Contracts and Agreements, Mr. Potter. I'm sorry to have to call you down here on such short notice, but well, the contract we found between your father and Sirius Black has some rather serious penalties if not followed and we really didn't have much time to get everything taken care of what with you going to Hogwarts," the man explained and turned toward his desk. Vaguely Harry thought he heard the man mutter 'Lucky bastard' but he couldn't be sure.

"Oh, is there a fine or something," Harry asked curiously.

"More like, we'll lose our magic, our status and most importantly our lives," one of the three angels on the couch said to Harry's surprise making him turn around. "You will too," one of the two dark-haired women said as she stood from her seat. Harry wasn't sure if she walked or glided toward him but he suddenly found himself face to chest with one of her which made him blush again. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Potter, I'm Andromeda Black and these are my sisters, Bellatrix and Narcissa," she introduced her sisters as she gestured to them.

"The, the, the," Harry stuttered on the first word as his mind shut down at the woman's exquisite beauty. "Its a pleasure to meet you," he finally managed to get out as his blush deepened, making the three women giggle, though he was almost certain the other dark-haired woman had actually cackled. "So, are you who I'm supposed to marry?"

"Oh, that's not how this will work Mr. Potter," the woman named Narcissa said as she stood languidly from her seat and approached him, followed by her other sister. "You won't just be marrying Andy but all three of us," the blonde haired witch explained with a smile.

Harry's green eyes grew wide as he looked at the three women, not one of them looking over the age of twenty-five and began hyperventilating. After a moment though he forced himself to calm down. After all, he reasoned, if he could tackle a basilisk a few months ago he could handle this. '_Except that I got lucky with the basilisk,_' he thought. '_Oh, but you'll get lucky here too_,' a devious voice answered making the blushing boy go pale.

The three women seemed to loom over the young teenager and smiled at him. "I believe that will be all Mr. Riteup," Bellatrix suddenly said to the man and gave him an almost feral smirk. "If you will excuse us, me and my sisters need to become acquainted with our intended." Harry wasn't sure why, but something about Bellatrix Black made him worried, very, very worried.

"Right, of course," Mr. Riteup said before he watched as the young man was gently pushed and prodded, stammering, out of his office and into the hall. "Lucky, lucky bastard," he cursed once his door closed and moved back around his desk to take his seat once more.

* * *

"Excuse me," the green-eyed boy said as they moved back into the hall that led to the lifts. "Um, Auror Tonks said that I should go to Lineage and Houses when I left the meeting," he said shyly as the women stopped. "So, before we go anywhere, do you mind if we make a quick stop?"

"Oh, not at all," Narcissa said with a smile as she moved around to stand behind the thirteen year old boy, her hands rubbing on his shoulders. "Whatever my niece suggested should work out fine," the blonde haired woman purred into Harry's ear, making the boy blush harder than ever. "Come on then, I've always wondered just how far back the Potter lineage went. I knew the Malfoys could trace themselves back to Armand Malfoy who first made his way to England from France in 1066 in the army of William the Conqueror."

Harry looked at the blonde woman, making sure to look at her face and not her bountiful assets that were staring him in the face. "How do you know so much about the Malfoys?"

"Because, until this morning I was Lady Malfoy," Narcissa explained.

"You mean your Draco's mother," Harry asked in shock as he turned around fully to look at the woman. There was no way this beautiful woman was old enough to have given birth to the slimy Slytherin!

"Oh no, silly," Narcissa said with a smile. "Draco's mother is some slag in Knockturn Ally who Lucius had a tryst with before we even said our vows," she admitted with a secretive smile, not bothering to lower her voice in the slightest. "I refused to give Lucius a child, I'd have lost my figure," she said waving her hand up and down her body.

"Oh please," Andromeda said with a roll of her eyes. "I had Nymphadora and I managed to get back into shape," she said. Seeing Harry whirl on her she smiled. "Don't worry Harry, you already met her this morning," she explained. "She's the one who told you to go to Lineage and Houses, Auror Tonks."

"What? What? No way," he exclaimed. "You look you just graduated from Hogwarts! You all do!"

Bellatrix moved forward this time and wrapped her arms around the boy from behind. "I like him," she purred. "My big strong basilisk slaying husband-to-be says the nicest things," she cooed and put a kiss on the boy's cheek. Blushing madly Harry's head dropped to stare at the ground as the three women laughed. "Now come on, we need to go see just what we are getting into girls."

The three women moved as a tight semicircle around the young wizard as they made their way to the office of Lineage and Houses and stepped inside. Unlike the last office, a fresh-faced boy sat at his desk snatching a paper airplane out of the air and proceeded to read it. "Excuse me," Narcissa said, getting the young man's attention. At the sight of the three Black sisters his jaw seemed to drop as he stared at them in wonder. "We're here to see someone about the Lineage of our young intended here," she said casually as she motioned to Harry. "Who do we see about Lineage?"

The boy didn't speak but just pointed toward a door leading from his small room to the left. "Thank you," Andromeda said as she led Harry past his desk and toward the room in question. In a sudden rush of chivalry Harry moved in front of the three women and held the door to the office open for them. "Why thank you," Andy said as she bent down and gave the boy's cheek a kiss, causing him to stiffen at the touch. "We'll make a man of you yet," she said with a wink as she walked in after her sisters.

Harry blushed at all the ways that last sentence could be taken as he walked through the door into the office. Once again, he could swear he heard someone mutter 'Lucky bastard' behind his back. This office was much like Mr. Riteup's only without a filing cabinet and a simple 'In' and 'Out' box on the desk. "Welcome, welcome," a man said as he stood up and smiled at the group. "Please, allow me to draw you up some chairs," he said kindly as he flicked his wand and conjured up several simple hard backed chairs to compensate since he only had the one across his desk. "I'm Howard Kin, how can I help you today," he introduced himself as they each took a seat.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Kin. I'm Harry Potter and... um," he blushed, "these are my betrothed, betrotheds?, betrothed Andromeda, Bellatrix and Narcissa Black," the young wizard said feeling quite proud of his introduction. "An Auror I met today said that I should come here and apparently check my Lineage."

"He'll also be claiming any titles that are available for him," Bellatrix said helpfully as she leaned forward in her seat to better pay attention to what was going on.

The man looked over at Harry and blinked as if surprised that he didn't already know. "I apologize, I thought you would have already known," the man said before he tapped his wand against his 'In' box and a thick folder appeared. Opening it quickly he began to read through it quickly. "Harry James Potter, the only child of James Charlus and Lily Marie Potter was to take over the title of Lord Peverell at the age of eleven should anything have happened to his parents before then," Mr. Kin said looking up at Harry. "Now, as I understand you grew up in the home of your mother's muggle relatives but I would have thought whoever took you Diagon Alley for your first year would have brought to see my predecessor, Mr. Clan."

"No, Hagrid was sort of forgetful," Harry said. "He forgot to tell me how to get on Platform 9 & 3/4 too."

"Ah, well, nothing against Mr. Hagrid but I would have thought Dumbledore would have sent someone who could, how should I say it, fit in better than a bodyguard," Mr. Kin said with a frown. "Well, here we go," he said tapping his wand to the 'In' box once more and causing a jet black jewellery box to appear. "The Lord's Ring for the line of Peverell," the man said as he slid it across the desk. "Now let's see what exactly we're looking at here in way of your lineage shall we."

As it turned out, Harry had a rather interesting pedigree. His family was first traced back through the Potters and then into the Peverell's where he learned he was the many times descendant of a man named Ignotus Peverell who lived in the early 1200s. According to Mr. Kin Ignotus and his two brothers history described as rather dark and the original owners of something called the Deathly Hallows, which perked Bellatrix up who had seemed ready to start dozing off at any minute. Further back was William Peverell born in 1040, the bastard son and favored knight of William the Conqueror.

"Aha," Harry said grinning from ear to ear and pulling everyone's attention to him. "Sorry, I was just, uh, I was just thinking about what Narcissa said about the Malfoys earlier in the hall. The Malfoys only came to England as soldiers in _my_ ancestor's army," he said smugly. "Wait until I can rub _that_ in Draco's face," he said evilly.

"Yes, well," Mr. Kin said with a cough. "It keeps going back," he said with a smile. In truth, he rather hoped that Lord Peverell did rub his families history into Mr. Malfoy's smug face. "Before William stormed from Normandy, he was a Duke there and we can trace him back to his Norse ancestor, commonly known as Rollo, but more accurately named Ganger Hrolfr or Hrolfr, the Walker because he was so massive that no horse could carry him born in 846, conqueror of Neustria which he renamed Normandy. Many scholars now believe that Hrolfr was a half giant son of Rognvald Eysteinsson, Earl of More in Western Norway and called Rognvald the Wise. Rognvald himself was the great-grandson of the famous a man who we only know of by legend and songs Halfdan the Old."

"Morgana's tits," Narcissa swore as Mr. Kin moved the heaving stack of documents from one side of the folder to the other. "If that's the Potter line, what else is all of that?"

"Ah, this would be Lord Peverell's mother's side," Mr. Kin said tiredly. Reading all that history was starting to get to him if he was honest. "Let me cut through it, and get to the end, shall I," he asked as he flicked through the paper's calmly before reaching the end and going pale. "Um, yes, it, it says here your mother's family was progressively tracked back to the Knight Ywain... son of King Urien of Gore and... Morgan le Fey," he said in a cold whisper as he looked up at the boy. "Morgan was the half-sister of King Arthur born to his mother Igraine and her first husband Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall. They date back to the fifth century," he said in shakily.

"Wow," Harry said completely missing the stunned expressions on the faces of those around him. "So do I get anything from my mother's side of the family," he asked excitedly.

Numb, Mr. Kin moved his wand to tap the 'In' box once again. It took longer this time, but another ring box appeared, this one designed to look like an apple. Slowly he slid it over to Harry to eagerly took it along with the jet black box. "So, do I open these now," Harry asked and watched as the man nodded. Eagerly he picked up the black box and opened it.

A jet black ring with a black diamond set into the mouth of an ivory carved skull. Across the top of the diamond was an inlay of ivory showing a triangle with a circle inside and a line bisecting it. Carefully the young wizard removed it from its box and slid it on his right forefinger where the thing glowed brightly before shrinking to fit his finger. At once dark aura began to bleed off the stone, and encompass the youth's hand before it moved up his arm and across his chest before encompassing his whole body. "Huh, kind of tingles," Harry said before he winced. "Okay, starting to hurt," he groaned as he fell out of his chair to his hands and knees.

The other four people in the room stood up as they watched the boy writhe on the ground in pain. Then, as though someone was inflating him he began to grow. Unseen by them the scars from his cousin Dudley healed, as did the circular wound from the basilisk bite from only a few months before. His scar bubbled and boiled, dripping black sludge on the ground before with a scream of pain a black cloud enveloped the Boy-Who-Lived. Mr. Kin released a girlish scream as the visage of a screaming Tom Riddle appeared amidst the smoke before some unseen force seemed to banish it way.

Andromeda moved first, rushing to the boy's aid as the smoke disappeared. While she hadn't been so hands on as her sisters, she instantly noticed that the thirteen year old boy had grown from the size of a boy nearly two years his younger to a young man who appeared to have aged to at least fourteen if not fifteen years old. His body was tight, stretched over muscle that hadn't been there before giving him a swimmer or runner's physic. Most interesting though was the fact his lightning shaped scar had faded to nothing more than a tan strip of flesh and he kept blinking his green eyes in confusion. "Can someone hand me my glasses," he asked tiredly.

"Harry, dear, you're wearing them," Narcissa said softly as she moved to squat down next to her sister and future husband. Gently she reached out and took the bottle-shaped glasses from his face and he looked at her with bright green eyes. "Can you see me now?"

"Yeah, I can," he said excitedly before he looked up at Andromeda. "Wow, I thought you were all pretty before, but your gorgeous," he said before realizing what he said and blushed. Extracting himself from Andromeda's grip he stood, shakily to his feet. "Alright, does anyone know what just happened?" He looked around and saw everyone shake their heads in silence. "Oh, well then, on to the next one," he said with a grin as he popped open the apple-shaped box before anyone could stop him and slid the ring on his left forefinger.

"Wait," Bellatrix said trying to reach him as she saw the glimmering silver ring, beset with tiny amber stones that swirled around like a maelström. Harry looked at the eldest Black sister curiously, before his young body began to emit a white light that seemed to come from inside of his body. The others had to look away as the light grew in intensity.

The young wizard didn't scream this time as he felt something snap inside his chest. What felt like a roaring ocean suddenly swarmed throughout his body, nearly knocking him off his feet again as he felt it swell from his chest and through every part of his body, pouring into every cell and through every artery, vein and capillary in his body. As the light died down, Harry blinked as he looked at himself, but unlike with the other ring he didn't see anything different. "Well, nuts. Hey, Mr. Kin is there anyway to find out what these rings did to me?"

The named man finally turned around to see what in Merlin's name had happened only to see the same boy who had emerged from the black cloud staring at him in confusion. His mind finally registered the question and he shook his head. "Um, what just happened? Do you feel anything different?"

"Well, I felt a snap," Harry admitted. "It came from inside my chest and suddenly it felt like there was this whole ocean inside of me! But I don't think anything happened physically."

"Tell me, Lord Peverell," Mr. Kin said hesitantly. "Did you ever go to St. Mungo's after you returned to the wizarding world? Did you get your vaccinations for wizarding ailments like Dragon Pox or anything," he asked. When Harry shook his head the man sighed tiredly. "Another thing Mr. Hagrid forgot to do perhaps. Many children have blocks put on their magic when they reach a certain age where accidental magic becomes more common, especially if the children are expected to have lives around muggles. It's possible your parents put a similar block on your magic and no one knew to look for it."

"Well, that explains why I've had difficulty in classes since I got to school," Harry said with a frown. "What about the Peverell ring? Do you know what that did?"

"I think I can answer that," Narcissa said primly with a smirk at her sisters. "A few months ago you received a bite from a basilisk, right," she asked. Harry nodded. "The only cure for that is phoenix tears, which if rumor holds you had a phoenix with you, Dumbledore's familiar." Again Harry agreed. "I would assume then that the ring found those two substances in your body, and probably any giant blood remaining from Hroflr and used those to heal your body. The phoenix tears simply helped heal you while the other two fixed you up so you weren't shredded to pieces as your bones and muscles grew."

Harry thought for a moment before shrugging. "While I'm not sure if all that is true or not, it is a sound theory," he said with a smile. "Okay, are we all done here," he asked looking at Mr. Kin who nodded, swallowing thickly. "Great, we should probably be going to get something eat. I'm starving, and I want to check my stuff. I'm not worried about Tom, but the Leaky Cauldron is a bit of a shady place."

"Oh, don't worry about that, Harry," Bellatrix said with a smile as she moved to put her arm around the boy. "You'll be moving in with us for the rest of the summer," she said as her mind began to scheme. "We have lots to do before the wedding next summer, and we still need to make arrangements for us to stay at Hogwarts with you for the year."

"N, next, next summer," Harry stuttered. "I thought I had until I was seventeen!"

"Nope," Bella said with a cackle as she began to pull Harry out of the office. "Don't worry about that yet Harry, we have so much we have to do. You've grown, so we'll need to go shopping," she said, earning a mad giggle from Narcissa. "We'll also be looking over your grades," she continued, making Harry gulp, "we might have to marry you, but I'll be damned if I'm marrying another idiot like Rudolphus."

* * *

Please, leave a review. Constructive criticism is welcome and encouraged. Thank you for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note**: Thank you guys so much for the responses to the first chapter! I'm going to take this time to go through and try and answer some of the questions that have been asked by you guys and hopefully not give away to much of what will happen in the future.

_Is Tonks considered a daughter of House Black?_ No, Tonks is a Tonks obviously. When a woman marries she is a member of her husbands House and their children will be as well. Divorce can cause a woman to return to the House of her father, like Andy returning to the Blacks. Nymphadora was born into the House of Tonks and while she might have Black blood she is not considered a Black.

_Will Hermione or Lily be in the relationship?_ No. I might do a Harry/Lily story later on but not in this one. Also, I don't see Hermione participating in an arranged polygamist marriage. The girl seems to find fault with everything in the wizard world and claims everything from the position of house-elves to chess is 'barbaric' no thought given to the wants or desires of those around her.

_Will this story be a PWP?_ I don't plan on it! There is teasing and some playing going on in this chapter but no this story won't be PWP, I have a plot worked out and I will be following it. There won't be a 'sexual god' Harry in this though he will eventually have to pick up his game if he wants to keep up with three experienced witches.

_What happened between Bella and the Longbottoms?_ That will be explained in this chapter.

_Will you be character bashing?_ Uh... Let me put it like this. There are characters I like and characters I do not like and my writing will reflect that. Dumbledore is a nice guy who I believe genuinely did what he could to the best of his abilities, but even he admits he can be wrong and apologizes to Harry when he realizes how much he's screwed up. We don't know much about Hermione's upbringing but we know she is intrenched in the belief of authority figures always being right and truthful until she is given proof otherwise. Ron Weasley is one of the most unfeeling characters I've ever read that was meant to be a good guy. His constant jealousy of his friends fame and fortune and never thinking about WHY his friend has both is disgusting to me.

Snape gets a section to himself. Now this can cause me to be very unpopular with my belief but Snape is the third most disgusting and reprehensible character in the series. He belittles an orphan for the death of his parents which Snape caused. He has no remorse in his actions except that the girl he was obsessed with died because of them. He tortures Harry right along side Umbridge only his attacks are mental, performing the same actions as a Dementor and forcing him to relive his worst experiences for months on end. He breaks into the house Harry received from his dead godfather and proceeds to steal pictures of an orphan's mother and the words that depict her love so he can keep them for himself. Just thinking about it makes me nauseous.

So in answer, Ron and Snape will probably not come off very well in this.

With that said, here is the story. Sorry for the rant...

* * *

Harry felt like he wanted to vomit as he appeared in the alley behind the Leaky Cauldron wrapped in the arms of Narcissa Black. If he had anyway to describe the feeling of apparition it would be that he had felt like he was being sucked through a straw, compressed on all sides and being dragged through a small tight tunnel. "That was one of the most uncomfortable ways to travel I've ever felt," he said as he fought to keep his legs beneath him. The side effect was that his head was pressed between his new fiance's impressive bosom, something he was both glad and embarrassed about.

"Don't worry about that," Narcissa said as she released the thirteen year old so that he could stand on his own two feet. Behind them a sound filled the air like two bullets being fired from a gun. Harry twisted around to see Andromeda and Bellatrix standing only a few feet away looking as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. "Apparition is a noise affair," Cissy explained. "The sounds you heard were of the displacement of air as Bella and Andy willed themselves to fill up space that was previously empty. It can be disconcerting but it's perfectly natural."

"Snippy," Bellatrix called out suddenly. With a similar sound a small house-elf appeared looking up at her master with wide pink eyes. Her ears were every bit as large and floppy as Dobby's had been and she eagerly bowed to the powerful witch. "Snippy, I want you to retrieve young Master Harry's things," Bella explained with a soft smile at hr subordinate. "Take them to the spare bedroom across from my own at Black Hall."

"It is being done right away, Mistress Bell," the excited little creature said before turning to Harry and seemingly eying him up. The boy took the opportunity to look over the elf a bit better himself. The servant was dressed in a black fluffy dress, a far cry from Dobby's old pillowcase toga. "I is having Master Harry's magical signature now, Mistress. I is doing as told now," the elf said happily before popping away.

Bellatrix smiled as she turned her attention back to her young fiancé. "Always remember to treat those under you well, Harry," she said giving him some advice. "If you don't they are likely to rebel in any way they can. Cissy told me about your freeing Dobby, I suppose it was him who told you about Lucius' plan?" Seeing Harry's nod her smile grew. "Lucius was and still is an idiot. If he had treated his elf better I'm sure his grand scheme would have been realized."

The wizard nodded before turning to Narcissa with a suspicious eye. "How did you treat Dobby?"

"He wasn't my elf," she said simply with a shrug. "I have Tipsy, a wonderful little elf that will do anything you say for butterbeer," she explained. "Butterbeer effects house-elves differently than it does humans. The alcohol content is so low that people your age are perfectly with in the law to order it unlike firewhiskey. The little elves though can become addicted to it and become rather drunk."

Harry nodded after a few seconds of thinking about what she had said. "How are they still servants though if you gave them clothes? When Dobby received the sock a few months ago, the next thing he did was send Lucius flying down a flight of stairs because he was free. Aren't your elves free as well?"

"Let's go through the wall and we'll explain," Andromeda finally spoke up as she stepped around her younger sister and up to the wall before tapping it with her wand. As the group walked through the parting bricks Bella's twin began to speak. "The trick, Harry, is to make sure the elves understand the purpose of the clothing. A uniform is the sign of station not freedom so it is looked to happily. Clothing is a sign of being released from employment which most elves find distasteful while those elves who have been mistreated see it as a chance to find a master who will treat them well."

"Okay," Harry said with a grin as they moved through the near empty street of Diagon Alley. Occasionally they walked past a group of students he recognized and even a few couples on dates. "So where are we going first?"

Narcissa's hand appeared on the young wizard's shoulder as she guided him deeper into the alley. "Our first stop will be Twilfitt and Tattings. It is a more expensive alternative to Madam Malkin's but the quality and range of materials are a bit higher. For instance, Madam Malkin usually makes her wands from synthetic materials they are cheap and easily replaceable and is usually the clothing of choice for parents of young children. Twilfitt and Tattings prefer more natural materials such as wool all the way up Acromantula silk or even Dragon hide."

The group stepped into a shop that was much further inside of Diagon Alley that Harry had ever been. In fact, most of the stores seemed to exist as higher end versions of those closer to the Leaky Cauldron. "Now, you'll be shopping for clothing that matches your station, Lord Peverell," Bellatrix said with a smirk as she led the way into the shop, her raven hair blowing over her shoulder as the chilled air inside the shop rushed past her into the summer heat. "Ah, cooling charms are wonderful," she sighed.

The store was very different from other clothing stores that Harry had previously visited in that the store seemed bare. Only a few mannequins designed like men or women stood around the walls dressed in robes of various cuts and materials. A single platform stood in front of multiple mirrors with a door nearby leading to another room. As the door closed behind the group a soft twinkle similar to a bell filled the shop and two witches who were older than Professor McGonagall stepped out of the backroom covered in fabric samples, pins and measuring tapes.

"'Ello dearies," one of the women said as they approached the small group and smiled showing rows of greying teeth. "Oh, look sister its the Blacks! It is always a pleasure to have you in our store," she said with a small bow. "Who will be fitting and for what party?"

Andromeda smiled as she walked up behind Harry her dark chocolate-colored hair flowing behind her as her dark grey eyes twinkled with mirth. "It is our betrothed here," she said in explanation as she rested her hands on his shoulders. "It seems that young Lord Peverell here needs a whole new wardrobe complete with his Hogwarts uniform for the coming term. He is a lively boy as well, constantly getting to scraps you see," she added thinking about the stories they had heard of his last two years at school, "so we'll probably need some robes and clothing of tougher material as well."

"Oh yes, he does have the build of a scrapper," the other witch said with a grin as she took him by the forearm and began to lead him to the platform. "Acromantula silk for the everyday robes I think," she said as she looked him over with a critical eye. "Dragon or Nundu for those scraps, eh," she asked with a smirk. Pulling her measuring tape from around her neck she casually held it up to him before letting it go, letting the tape move around his body on its own. Nearby her sister held up a quill and parchment before walking away allowing it to write what the taped measured on its own. "Lord Peverell if I may ask you to stand with your feet apart and your hands stretched out to your sides, that's a good lad."

"We just got a good bit of Hebridean in from the Macfusty Clan just the other day," the first witch said looking at the three witches and not Harry. "Two of their bulls got into a fight over a female and both died of their injuries. The female was already ready to lay a clutch though and now has over two hundred square miles of land to call her own," the witch said with a giggle. "We do have Ironbelly in the back its tricky to work with for sure but nothing gets through but an Unforgivable."

"Hebridean will do fine for his school robes with crimson silk on the inside, he is a Gryffindor after all," Bellatrix said as she eyed the youth over with a critical eye. "However, two robes with Nundu on the outside and Ironbelly inside along with some silk dress robes," she continued. "What do you think sisters, predominantly black with some green mixed in," she asked looking over and receiving nods in acceptance. "We'll also need some footwear for him, those things are ghastly," she said with a sneer directed to his trainers. "We'll need those to go, Hungarian Horntail I'm thinking with extension charms to last the year."

"Of course, of course," the first witch said happily as the tape flew down to Harry's feet and began to measure. "I should be no more than a few seconds," she said happily as she looked over the measurements and that were being written down. With a smile she swept back into the other room for a few moments before returning with a pair of boots that were Harry's size. "Now, to make sure they fit," she went on and flicked her wand at the wizard's feet causing him to stumble and nearly fall off the platform as his old trainers were switched out with a heavy pair of calf-high boots.

"Thank you ladies," Narcissa said as she moved toward the witches and opened her clutch before reaching inside and producing a small bag of gold. "Would you say that fifteen galleons would cover it?" After several minutes of haggling that went over Harry's head, the quartet exited the shop and moved back into the street. "Well that went well," Cissy said with a smile. "I think your next stop ought to be Ollivanders and then Flourish and Blotts before we decide whether to do some muggle shopping."

"ALICE," Bellatrix suddenly called out catching everyone's attention as they turned to see who she was calling. The black-haired woman walked over to a woman and her son who Harry recognized instantly as his round-faced dorm mate, Neville Longbottom. Alice was a woman who had come to the alley in jeans and a pullover, her brown hair cut into a short bob and a rather drawn looking face. Around her arms were a pair of braces which were connected to a set of crutches she held clasped in her hands. "Alice, its been so long," Bella said with a grin as she looked over the woman. "My don't you look lovely today?"

"Bella," the woman said with a smile as she shakily walked toward the other woman. "You flatter me as always," she continued with a beaming smile. "We just came out to the Alley to buy Neville's school supplies. Thank you again for the Puffapod. Nev's been taking good care of it out in the greenhouses."

The older woman waved off the woman's appreciation with a smile. "It's no problem at all. I knew Neville's birthday was coming up and wanted to get something I thought he'd enjoy," she said conversationally. Her dark hooded eyes turned to the third year boy and her grin grew into a teasing one seeing him blush. "Now, what would wittle Neville Weville like for Christmas?"

A chuckle caused the three to look over at Harry who was walking up to them. "I'm sorry but, Neville Weville? Bella you should really stop, I don't think you ought to tease a man who is older than your betrothed is very fair," he said with a grin. "Hey there Neville. Ready for another year of that slimy git they force us to call 'Professor'?"

"Wow Harry! I didn't recognize you," Neville said with wide eyes as he took in his friend's appearance. "Even your scar is gone!" The round face boy looked at his friend in awe before he quickly looked at his mother. "Harry this is my mother, Alice Longbottom. Mum this is Harry Potter, we share a dorm at Hogwarts."

"I've heard a few interesting things about you Mr. Potter," Alice said with a smile as she nodded to the young wizard. "Now, what was this about Bella being betrothed," she asked with a smirk at the older woman.

Bellatrix instead of blushing allowed her lips to pulled into a smirk as she wrapped her arm around Harry's shoulder. "We just found out today. It turns out that James Potter and Sirius Black wrote up a marriage contract between our Houses but were stupid enough to not have the foresight that Sirius might not have any daughters. So, Andy, Cissy and I will be marrying Harry here next summer," Bella explained. "You and Neville will attend the wedding wont you?"

"We wouldn't miss it," Alice said with a grin of her own before she looked down at her watch. "I'm sorry Bella but we need to get moving if we want to visit Frank today," the mother said with a sad and apologetic smile. "It was nice to meet you, Harry. Maybe you and your betrothed can come by for tea later this summer."

"It was nice to meet you too Mrs. Longbottom," the green-eyed wizard said with a smile and a nod of his head. "I'll see you at Hogwarts if we can't make it to tea, alright Neville?"

"Sounds good," Neville said with a shy smile back to his roommate before he and his mother headed further into the Alley than Harry and the Blacks were headed.

As Bellatrix and Narcissa rejoined the others they continued on their way to Ollivander's wand shop. "Why are we going to Ollivander's," Harry asked with a glance at the three sisters. "I already have a wand."

"Well things change," Cissy said with a grin at the boy. "You have just come into your own this morning are not exactly the same was you were before," she reminded him. "The wand chooses the wizard and all that and you're not the same little boy you were first year. Most children go to Ollivander's once a year to make sure their wand is still loyal to them. Some though end up changing wands a few times. If I'm not mistaken your parents both ended up changing wands before their seventh year."

Harry's mind flashed back to the only time he had ever been to Ollivanders. '_I remember when your mother and father were here buying their first wands,_' the old wand maker had said.

With the explanation given for their visit the quartet walked into the old and dust filled shop causing Harry to shiver as he felt the magic contained inside was over him again. "Ah, Mr. Potter," the airy voice of the wide-eyed Ollivander said from behind the counter as he spotted the boy walk in. "Holly and Phoenix feather, eleven inches, good for defense if I had to say one way or the other," he said with a grin. His eyes turned to the three sisters as well and his grin grew. "Ladies, it is always a pleasure to see you. Now what can I do for you?"

"Harry here has gone through some changes," Andromeda said with a grin as her subtle wording made Harry blush. "We would like to make sure his wand is still attuned to him or else buy him a new wand that better fits him."

"Ah," Mr. Ollivander said with a grin before turning back to the young wizard. "Well go on, give it a wave," he said with a look of interest in his eye.

Drawing his wand Harry waved it without really thinking of a spell causing a few red and gold sparks to fly from the tip. Immediately the holly wand was snatched from his hand by the old wand maker causing the youth's hair to stand on end and his eyes to narrow at the action. "Well this won't do at all," Ollivander said without a glance toward the boy as he walked back to his counter and laid the wand down upon it. "The and is still loyal to you," his eyes flickered to the ring on the boy's right hand, "Lord Peverell, but it is not complete, not complete at all."

With a flick of his wand the old man locked the door to his shop before motioning for Harry and the women to follow him further back. At the back of his store was a workshop filled with all types of wood and various bits and pieces of animals floating in glass jars. "This is where I work my magic," Ollivander said in a dreamy voice as he stepped into the middle of the room and stopped. "You're wand will need be reforged Lord Peverell. And this is where that shall happen. Now please, hold out your right arm if memory serves and we'll get to work."

Much like last time, Harry found himself at the mercy to the eccentric man as he fluttered about the room snatching up chunks of wood and animal parts before putting them back. After several long moments he stopped, his eyes going wide as he turned toward Harry slowly. "Maybe... Maybe," he muttered and moved toward a stack of crimson and tan marbled wood. Turning around he bustled over to a jar that didn't seem to hold anything at all and reached inside. "An odd combination," he whispered before looking at Harry with a beaming smile. "I always knew you were a tricky customer."

Carefully the old man placed the block of wood on a workbench before putting the holly wand on top of it and seemingly laying something invisible down on top of all of it. Ollivander closed his eyes and flicked his wand a few times, causing the stack to seemingly melt together. After a few seconds he waved his wand again and the marbled piece of wood cracked down the middle, revealing a new wand inside. "Interesting, most interesting," Ollivander whispered and he hovered over the wand. "Well, come on boy pick it up," he said motioning for Harry to come over.

Stepping closer, the youth was nervous that his wand was lost to him forever. Biting his lip he reached for the new wand and allowed his fingers to enclose around it. While before the feeling of holding his wand had always given him warmth like he was standing in front of a fire he now felt like he was directly in sunlight on a clear summer's day. "Wow... WOW," he said in excitement as he flicked the tip of his wand causing a mass of fire to erupt from the end shaped like a phoenix that flapped his flaming wings as it sped around the room before disappearing.

"Interesting," the old man said again as he began to lead them out of his workspace. "Lord Peverell, your wand is now complete," he said with a smile at the boy. "Holly and Elder wood with the core of a phoenix tail feather and thestral tail-hair, fourteen inches. A wand of rebirth," the wand maker said with a smile as he flicked his own polished stick toward the sign on the door flipping the sign back to open. "Now, what else can I do for you?"

"He'll need a wand holster and polishing kit," Narcissa spoke up. She knew that proper wand care was important and glanced toward her eldest sister who was rubbing her arm where her own wand was kept. How many times had Cissy had to play the good wife and mother, taking the Malfoy bastard to St. Mungo's because he had inadvertently hurt himself while practicing spells well out of his league. She watched as Andromeda paid for their most recent goods before she led them out of the store.

The last store they were to visit was the Flourish and Blotts which was only a few doors down. "Alright, first we need to have a talk," Bellatrix said casually as she took the lead and moved toward a small furnished corner of the store. She waited as they all took seats before she began to speak. "Alright Harry, what classes are you taking next year and what do you know about the magical world," she asked watching him squirm with her dark blue eyes.

"Well, there are my core classes," Harry said looking between the three women who were waiting impatiently. Finally he sighed and decided to come clean. "When they sent around the list of classes for next year, Ron and I decided to sign up for Care of Magical Creatures and Divination. They were the easiest courses and we thought we could use the time to goof off or do homework for our other classes."

A sniffing sound came from Narcissa who was looking down her nose as her new fiancé. "That won't do at all," she said in a snobbish voice. "An up and coming lord rolling in scat and lazing his days away. I don't think so."

"I told you, I would not be married to another idiot," Bellatrix said with a growl. "We'll write Minerva and have her change your schedule to something more fitting. Magical Theory is a must," she said quickly before thinking back to her own time at Hogwarts. "Politics and Economics as well as Family and Duty," she concluded with a nod to herself.

"You'll learn a lot in those," Andromeda said as Bellatrix stood to retrieve the book list that Flourish and Blotts kept and find the texts among the stacks. "Magical Theory is good and should actually be a mandatory class. You'll learn where our magic comes from and what its limitations are. Politics and Economics will be an in-depth study of the Ministry's inner workings and the economic status of our world while Family and Duty will teach you about your place as head of the family, etiquette and how to run a functioning House."

"I've got them," Bella's voice sounded from nearby causing the three still sitting to look over as she held the bag filled with books. "Now come along, I'm hungry and I'm sure Snippy is waiting for us at Black Hall with something to eat. Cissy you should send Tipsy to collect your things from Malfoy Manor before Lucius can act," she advised as the three walked out of the store. "Andy," she said suddenly looking at the third sister with what was close to a sneer before she sighed and dropped her head. "Andy, you are welcome to move in as well. I suppose with the three of us together we can't screw up to badly."

* * *

Later that evening the three Black sisters sat around the parlor calmly sipping their tea as three house-elves, Snippy, Tipsy and Andromeda's personal elf, Spammy, bustled about out of sight cleaning whatever they could. Behind the three women an old record player spun, the sound of the Chordettes singing 'Lollipop' could be heard faintly over the cackling fire. "So tell me, Bella, how do you know the Longbottoms," Andromeda asked with a raised eyebrow. She had felt it quite odd that her twin was meeting with and actively approaching the wife and son of the former auror Frank Longbottom. After all, it was Bellatrix's own ex-husband and brother-in-law who had disabled Alice and driven poor Frank to madness just days after their divorce.

The darker twin smirked as she set her teacup to the side. "My dear sister, who do you think it was who served as the secret keeper for this mansion? I quick message to Barty Crouch and the next thing I know I'm reading about the Lestranges' arrest in the morning issue of the Daily Prophet," she said grinning. "With them in Azkaban I easily won the mansion and the fortune in my divorce proceedings and quickly befriended the poor heartbroken Longbottoms, showing my deep concern for their well-being," she explained with a smirk.

"How overtly Slytherin of you," Narcissa commented as she calmly took a sip of her tea. "A much stronger and better act that Lucius' Imperious defense. Distancing yourself in a show of fear and outrage, divorce attorney's working around the clock and a quick betrayal to the Ministry," she said with a smile at her sister. "Let it never be said you are not a Slytherin through and through," she congratulated.

"It was just lucky that neither of you took the mark," Andy said with a sigh. She might not have agreed with her sisters ideals, but she did respect them in a twisted way for fighting for those beliefs. "After all," she said with a sudden smirk on her lips, "your future mother-in-law will have been a muggleborn." She chuckled at her sisters before it died in her throat as the two of them shrugged nonchalantly.

It was Bellatrix who spoke up first. "Maybe you weren't paying attention this morning Andy but Lily Evans was a descendant of Morgan le Fey," she shot back at her sister. "I dueled the many times great-granddaughter to a woman who I found quite inspirational while growing up and now I'm to marry her son. I say win-win all around."

"We'll need to check over his education though," Narcissa added in now that the topic was on to their future husband who was upstairs in bed after a long day of shopping and revelations. "I heard from Draco over that Severus often 'took Potter to task' during their classes and that many of his potions were openly sabotaged by the Slytherins. We'll need to bring him up to speed and possibly correct any damage that Severus has caused to his brewing abilities. Evans was a prodigy who tutored Snape back in school and if her son can produce even half her skill it would be advantageous down the line."

"We'll speak to McGonagall about it when she comes by tomorrow," Andromeda said, glancing to the letter they had received in answer to their request for Harry's change of courses for the upcoming year. "More than likely Dumbledore will come as well and try to throw a wrench in the works," she said with a hint of disgust. "The man is fine so long as things go his way but if anything doesn't happen as he thinks it should he's the first to cause problems."

The blonde woman nodded in acceptance. "The man is annoying at the best of times but I can avoid his attempts to keep Harry on a chosen path in Hogwarts," she said with a smirk. "It just so happens that Lucius was using the Black seat on the board of governors and I'll be taking it up with the coming school year," she said with a light giggle. "That will put me over many of the events happening at the school, like that stupid tournament they're trying to propose for next year. I'm sure that was Bagman's idea though, the fool."

The raven-haired sister was thoughtful for a few seconds before she spoke up. "We shall need to control the press' reaction to our upcoming nuptials," she said after a few seconds. "Cissy, do you still have your delightfully vicious friend at the Daily Prophet? The one who helped us spin my story of woe after the my divorce?"

The blonde-haired witch smirked. "Why yes I do, Bella," she answered. "I'm more than certain that Rita will be willing to help us. There are quite a few stories we could feed to her and watch her do her stuff." The youngest sister began to laugh softly at the thought of what her devilish former roommate could do with that Quick Quote Quill of hers. "I'll need to write to her in the morning before she can do any work on Lucius' side of the story. I just wish I could see the look on his face when he sees just how much power he's lost due to this contract."

The dark chocolate haired sister stood from her seat and stretched. "Its getting late, I think now would be a good time to get some sleep," Andy said quietly stifling a yawn.

A feral grin spread over Bella's face as she leaned forward in her seat and looked at her sisters with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "I just had the most wonderful idea," she purred. "Our dearly betrothed father was known for his pranks was he not? I think we should introduce young Harry to our sense of fun," she cackled.

"Are you," Cissy started to say with a grin on her own face. "Are you thinking we ought to do to Harry what we did to poor Sirius on his fifteenth birthday," she questioned with an evil smile pulling on her lips. "Oh that is positively wonderful. I think I have just what we need in my room. Come on," she said excitedly as she pushed herself to her feet. "I think a nice change of wardrobe and a little spell work will have us ready for bed."

Giggling softly between the three of them, they headed up the stairs. Their intentions mischievous though they made sure not to wake the sleeping wizard upstairs.

* * *

Harry's green eyes looked around for any source of light in the darkness as he took a hesitant step forward. The last thing he remembered was going to sleep in that perfectly charmed bed in the Black Manor, dressed in the new green and silver Slytherin style pajamas his future brides had insisted he buy. The only thing he could think of was that he as dreaming but... shouldn't he not know that it was a dream? He had never felt anything like this before in his life.

"O-oh Death," a chilling voice called out through the darkness startling the young wizard and making him jump. "O-o-Oh De-ea-ath," the voice sounded feminine and caused the hair on the thirteen year old's arm to stand on end. "Won't you spare me over til another year? What is this, that I can't see with ice-cold hands taking hold of me."

Harry didn't know where to look though he spun around hoping to find whoever was seemingly singing. Ever direction was utter darkness and the voice was coming from every direction at once. "Well I am Death," a woman's voice answered though it sounded as if he was merely hearing an echo of the original. "None can excel, I'll open the doors to Heaven or Hell," the voice continued as an eerie pale light suddenly began to shine down from above.

A woman seemed to appear beneath just yards away from the wizard. Her skin was as pale as bone with black tattoos adorning her face to give her the appearance of a skull. Her eyes were jet black like the hood that she had pulled over her head while a flowing black cape hung down her back. A corset made of leather, that Harry prayed was not made of human skin, was fastened up the front by black cords that revealed her tight stomach and impressive breasts. A sweeping black ankle length skirt hugged her legs down to a pair of black high-heeled boots.

Harry stared at the strange woman as a cold chill filled his body and made him shiver. "Whoa, death someone would pray," the chilling feminine voices once more called out of the darkness and caused the boy to look around for any more black clad specters. "Could you wait to call me another day," they continued and seemed to be drawing every closer to the two.

"Hey, who are you," Harry called out to the woman who he could see. His hands fumbled in his pockets as he desperately looked for his wand or anything that could save him.

The woman's cold black eyes seemed to fix themselves on the youth as she drew up her hand to point at him. "The children prayed, the preacher preached," she sang. "Time and mercy is out of your reach. I'll fix your feet til you can't walk, I'll lock your jaw til you can't talk. I'll close your eyes so you can't see, this very hour, come and go with me." Her words sent shudders through Harry's spin as he began to back away from her. "I am Death. I come to take the soul leave the body and leave it cold. To draw up the flesh off of the frame, the dirt and worm both have a claim."

Without warning a record scratched as bright fluorescent lights flicked on over head like a strobe light and bathed the area in light. Surprised, Harry's eyes zoomed around to see stages of various height and cages hanging from the ceiling. Women dressed in tight fitting dresses of pastel colors with dresses reaching down to the top of the thighs began to dance to the high paced sixty's style music that blared, their knee-high go-go boots tapping at the ground. "Oh good, I've just lost my mind," the teenager whispered to himself.

"No, your mind is fine," the echoing voice of the deathly pale woman said from behind him causing him to whirl around. Just like the other women in the room she was dancing to the music and making her way across the dance floor to him. "Hello darling, it's been a while since we met face to face," she cooed as she drew up to him. Despite his surprise and clearly against his better judgement Harry felt his own arms and legs begin to move to the music. "Why Harry, you keep flirting with me but never actually come to see me. Well until you put my ring on that is."

"What do you mean," Harry asked after several seconds of trying to stop his body and giving it up as futile. "I don't believe we've ever met. Just who are you anyway?"

The woman sighed in disappointment. "Here I thought the song would be enough for you to realize," she said sadly. It didn't take long though for a smile to grace her pale white lips which were tattooed to look like teeth. "I do have to say though we've come close to meeting a few times since you were an adorable little baby," she cooed. "Trolls, the Cerberus, poison, magical fire and that filthy little cheater in your first year followed by crashing a flying car at high speeds into a Whomping Willow and finding yourself surrounded by Acromantula before fighting a Basilisk, it's all been rather romantic, Harry. You've been flirting quite heavily for the past few years."

The youth's green eyes grew wide as realization hit him with the force of a sledgehammer to the temple. "You're Death," he whispered in a mix of surprise, awe and fear. "I'm sorry for the unintentional game of 'Will I die today' but I never really planned any of it," he said seriously.

"Oh don't give me that," she said with a grin as she wrapped her arms around the boy's neck as his arms snapped around her thin waist on their own accord. "I know what goes on inside that head of your Harry," she whispered as she ground her body against his. "You want me. You want me to take you because I have everything you ever wanted," she said teasingly into his ear. "Beyond me lies what the mirror showed you. I am your heart's deepest desire."

Harry shook his head even though somewhere deep inside he knew her words made sense. "I'm going to get married soon," he said with a shaking voice. "I'll be starting a new family with Bella, Andy and Cissy. My heart's desire will change to reflect that," he admitted startling himself with how insightful that seemed. "I'll even have a stepdaughter, who is a few years older than me."

"True," Death said sadly as she continued to hold the Boy-Who-Lived to her. "But you'll be seeing more of me in the future," she said growing happy again. Harry started to think she was rather bipolar with her mood swings. "You wear my ring and use my gift," she told him even though he didn't know what her gift was. "I'll even be nice and give you another gift when the time is right, well maybe more than one," she teased as she ground her pelvis into his crotch, causing him to blush. "You do have a part to play in the grand scheme of life, a destiny that I wouldn't stop even if I cared too. Tom Riddle has cheated me of his soul and you will deliver it to me."

Harry blinked owlishly as the pale figure twirled away from him so she was rubbing her back against his front, her tight little ass bouncing off his groin. "You want me to beat Voldemort," he asked in shock as he tried to ignore the way his body was responding to her. "I figured someone else would be the one to take him down. Dumbledore or someone would probably be better at it," he admitted. "I haven't even started third year yet!"

"Don't worry about that," the embodied of life's end said as she looked over her shoulder at him. "You won't die until I take your soul myself. While I'm tempted to do so the other wizards and witches are too afraid to face him directly, not like you," she purred. "I knew you were special Harry, it's why I allowed you to live when I've taken every other soul who has faced the Killing Curse," she admitted to him before spinning back around to take his face in her hands. "You have a destiny and a title greater than the Boy-Who-Lived coming and I can't wait. I want to see how you'll interpret being the Master of Death," she whispered drawing her face ever closer to his own until he could feel her breath on his lips.

Harry closed his eyes while leaning forward and captured the pale woman's lips with his own, making her moan. He tried to move his hands but felt them seemingly trapped just a little ways away from his body. He felt her tongue on his lips and instinctively opened them and felt it lance into his mouth as he did the same to hers. Their tongues explored one another pushing against each other as he wiggled his hands trying to get free. A moan reached his ears, but not from the woman he was kissing, it sounded like it was coming from above him and from either side. Confused his eyes flew open to look at the woman in front of him.

* * *

Green eyes opened to spit slick tanned flesh that his tongue was currently licking at and two soft and warm objects pressing into his cheeks. Blinking in confusion, the young wizard looked up to see just what he was licking and tasted oddly of strawberries. His eyes landed on the smooth curves of a neck and jawline with blond hair spilling around them. "Mmm, don't stop," the voice of Narcissa Black whispered as her fingers played with the boy's raven hair, her manicured nails softly scraping his scalp.

Feeling his hands still trapped lower and at his sides, Harry couldn't see where his hands were thanks to the walls of breast on either side of his head but he could see the fans of raven and chocolate on either side of Narcissa's blonde hair. Swallowing thickly he moved his fingers, never realizing just how warm his hands were wherever they were trapped. "I like him," Bellatrix's voice said and he could practically hear the smile in her voice. "I know you're enjoying his tongue Cissy but we need to get up and ready for the day," the raven haired woman said jostling her sister with her hand. "We have a meeting with McGonagall this morning and we don't want her to catch us being bad influences on the her student."

"Right, you're right," Narcissa said sadly as she released the boy's head and let her hand fall to he side. Harry felt his left hand be released from its prison and saw Bella's hair drag across the pillows as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. Using his hand's new-found freedom, the wizard pushed himself up and blushed heavily as he realized just where his hand had been trapped. His blush grew heavier when he saw that his right hand was still caught between Andromeda's thighs and that he had used Narcissa's breasts as pillows in the night. "I had fun Harry," Cissy said with a smile before turned to her sister who was still sleeping and shook her as well. "Wake up Andy, its time to get ready and I need Harry to get off," she said with a smirk as her grey eyes flashed to the boy half laying on her body.

What was meant to be a groan became a moan of longing as the boy saw all three older women were bare-chested and clad only in very revealing high cut thongs. "I'm sorry," Harry said as he felt something between his legs begin to react to the closeness to the beautiful woman underneath him. "I must have wandered into this room by mistake sometime last night."

An evil chuckle came from behind him as he felt the bed shift from someone crawling on to it. The feeling of Bellatrix's breasts pushing him back down on her sister nearly caused the boy's eyes to fall out of his head with how wide they became. "Oh no Harry," the raven haired sister teased as she whispered into his ear, her lips dragging across its rim. "We snuck into your room last night," the evil woman said causing Harry to shiver at the feeling of her breath on his ear. "Here, a souvenir for a wonderful night," she continued before a pair of lacy black panties were pulled snuggly over boy's head. Just from the smell of jasmine reaching his nose and how warm they were he could tell they had been worn recently. "I need to shower," Bella teased before she climbed off of her fiancé and made her way out of the room, her bare ass swinging as she made her way from the room.

His right hand suddenly became free and Harry rolled on to his left disentangling himself from the blonde woman who had been beneath him. "I had a wonderful night as well," Andromeda said with a chuckle as she sat up on her side of the bed. Harry saw her shift before she held up a pair of bright blue material and tossed it to him, letting the peach scented garment drape across his face. "Don't mention it Harry," the dark-eyed woman said with a wink as she too made her way out of the bedroom, giving Harry a view of her backside, still well maintained if slightly larger than Bella's had been.

"I guess that just leaves me," Narcissa said with a twisted grin on her lips as her hands skipped under the covers that the two had been under. With a quick wiggle she produced a pair of cream-colored panties and rolled over so both her legs were straddling Harry's. Wide eyed the boy stared at he fact that he had a fully naked woman on top of him, and not just any woman, the woman Draco Malfoy had called mother. With a feral grin Cissy bent lower as if to kiss him and he gladly reached up to accept, hoping his weird dream had just been a foreshadowing of his morning.

His thoughts died though as he felt something soft and smooth being pushed beyond his lips. He nearly gagged as the material filled his mouth and he opened his eyes to look up at the smiling woman who had taken her hand away from the boy's mouth. "A keepsake dear," she said with a chuckle as she rolled back off him and got out of bed, giving him a look at her tanned rear end and long shapely legs. "Breakfast will be in thirty minutes, I suggest you hurry," she said over her shoulder as she too left his room.

Letting his head fall back on the bed, Harry grabbed the gag in his mouth and pulled it out, revealing Narcissa's undergarments. With something between a moan and a groan, Harry sat up on the edge of his bed and pulled the panties off his head and held them in his hand. An idea suddenly formed in his head and a grin spread across his lips. They had teased him, mocked him even! Well he would have his revenge. If they thought they were getting these panties back they were crazy. "Dobby," he called softly.

Almost as soon as the word was out of his mouth the little elf appeared. He wore a tea cozy as a hat and wore a child's sized shirt and shorts with mismatched socks adorning his feet. "The great Harry Potter be calling Dobby," the excited little elf squealed in happiness. "What can Dobby be doing for Mister Harry Potter Sir?"

"Dobby, how would you like to be my personal elf," Harry asked as he smiled at the creature that had tried to save his life last year. "You'll be getting a uniform of course an I'll even pay you wages if you want."

"Oh! Oh! Dobby would like that," the elf said nodding his head so fast that the wizard feared it might fly off. "Dobby is willing to go as high as one knut a month," the elf said seriously.

"Are you sure," Harry asked, looking the creature over with a critical eye. "I'd be willing to pay a sickle a week if you want." The elf's head shook rapidly at the very thought of being paid so much. "Alright, one knut it is with bonuses on holidays," he said as though he was pained to give to the little elf's demands. "Is there anything we have to do? A chant, an exchange of magic, some sort of contract or anything?"

"Oh no," Dobby said quickly shaking his head. "Dobby is just now working for you Master Harry Potter sir," the elf said quickly.

Harry shrugged. He didn't know much about house-elves but was willing to give the little guy some credit. "Alright then, I need to go shower before breakfast, but first I have task for you," the wizard said as he held out the three pairs of undergarments. "Put these on the wall above my head like trophies. These were Bellatrix's, Andromeda's and Narcissa's," he said as he handed over the pair that belonged to the name. "Also feel free to decorate my room with my things. I'll trust you to do a good job."

"Yes sir," Dobby said in wonder as he looked at the garments in his hand. His tennis ball sized eyes watched his new Master walk into his bathroom before sighing. "Master Harry is being a far greater wizard than I is ever expecting," he muttered to himself as he snapped his fingers and the panties appeared on the plaques on the wall, the plaques having the name of the witch they belong to written across them. "Dobby knows it is wrong, but Master Harry is a lucky bastard," he muttered as he moved to Harry's trunk to begin decorating.

* * *

Please leave a review. Thank you for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** Well, this chapter sort of became a Minerva heavy. I didn't really mean for that to happen but it just sort of flowed that way. Later on in this chapter a character decides something that most will say is out of character, I disagree. I think from a rational point of view the action is very much in character and sets up for a number of things to happen later on. This chapter also sets up events for the Ministry later on and while it won't be prevalent now I will ask, do you guys want to see Umbridge get ripped to shreds or should I leave her out of our tale?

So, two things stuck out to me in the reviews (Yes I read every single one and the PMs, so feel free to send them). Dobby's line at the end of chapter 2 seemed to be a big hit, so I will continue that little running gag. Also, someone left a message praising me for not going the 'Heir of the Founders' route. Thank you Xeno Tyrant. I also dislike that particular cliche. If you look, there are many many many ways to make a characters lineage important without falling to the same trope time after time.

* * *

Minerva McGonagall was curious. It hadn't even been twenty-four hours since she had received an Screech Owl from one Bellatrix Black, a woman she had never received mail from. The most odd part was that the letter was not about the woman's nephew as one would have expected, but rather she wanted to meet to discuss one of Minerva's lions, Harry Potter. The way the letter had been worded Minerva felt as if she was approaching a Parent Teacher Conference and not some odd witch who wanted to know about the Boy-Who-Lived's grades.

As she strolled up the long walk from the apparition point, she spotted the bane of all authority figures practically skipping up the walk with a huge smile on her face. "Miss Skeeter," the older witch said with a forced smile at the sight of the reporter. "I had no idea you would be here. Will you be staying for my talk with Miss. Black?"

The blonde-haired reporter's smile was almost feral as she sized up the aging Deputy Headmistress. "Oh no, Professor," she said in a voice that was as sweet as poisoned wine. "I'm afraid I have work to do. Articles that need to be written immediately," she said with a voice that seemed to fight back a cackle. "I will say this though, if you need heart medication, I would take it now," the reporter finished as she walked by the greying woman.

Curiousness gave way to confusion as Minerva halted her tracks to watch as Rita Skeeter almost bounced down the walk before vanishing when she reached the edge of the apparition wards. Shaking her head, and wondering just why Albus had sent her to talk to the former Mrs. Lestrange, Minerva continued to the door. A few quick wraps on the large obsidian colored structure saw an elf opening it to peer up at her cautiously. "Hello, I'm Minerva McGonagall here to see Miss Black about her letter."

The elf's eyes grew wide before she opened the door fully to allow the transfiguration professor inside. "Snippy will be telling Mistress and new Master that you is arriving, Professor," the bat-eared creature announced before disappearing with a pop.

Minerva took the opportunity to inspect the entryway to what was now called Black Hall. Portraits of various Black's hung on the wall, looking down on her and muttering causing a shiver to run down her spine. She had never really liked portraits but understood their value and the opportunity for learning that they represented. It was just the fact that everyone in the portraits were dead and still talking that had unnerved her ever since she was a first year student at Hogwarts.

"Professor, I'm so glad you could make it," a feminine voice said politely, causing Minerva to turn her attention to the doorway at the far end of the hall. Rather than the black-haired mistress of the manor the chocolate haired twin was approaching her. Minerva blinked before she remembered that there was now two Miss Blacks if her memory was correct. The divorce of Andromeda Black and Theodore Tonks had been a quiet affair but word traveled fast throughout the magical community. "Please, come this way to the den," she said politely.

The greying professor followed the youthful looking woman through the doorway she had suggested and nearly felt her heart skip a beat in shock. Harry Potter was here and sitting on a small loveseat, wedged between the forms of Bellatrix Black and Narcissa Malfoy! Quickly she once more put on her professional aura as she continued to move into the room. "Hello Miss Black, Mrs. Malfoy," she paused and gave Harry a long look over her glasses, noting the difference in his appearance with a raised eyebrow, "Mr. Potter."

"Minerva," Cissy said with a coy smile at her former attention. "It seems as if you are somewhat behind the times as of yesterday morning, I am no longer Mrs. Malfoy but Miss Black once more," she said. "As it happens my marriage to Lucius was superseded by a marriage contract written by the late James Potter and our cousin Sirius Black."

"Hello Professor," Harry said shyly from his place between the two beautiful older women. His messy hair was the same as ever, but Minerva noticed that his glasses were gone allowing his mother's eyes to practically glow beneath his bangs. His scar, the little trademark that Hagrid had drunkenly let spill one night after they had moved the boy to his relatives, was a mere tanned line now rather than the bright red reminder it had been for the past two years. Also, he was far taller than he had been at the end of last year and seemed to be filling out nicely.

Her own green eyes smiled slightly at the sight of the boy as she graciously took a seat in one of the comfortable chairs that faced the trio, only for her eyes to catch Andromeda's movements as she took a seat on the arm of the love-seat. "I admit, I was confused as to why I received a letter from you, Bellatrix, about Mr. Potter's grades and changes in subjects, but if he is to marry your sister than I suppose the curiosity is warranted." She truthfully wasn't all that shocked at the age difference between spouses. Her own mother had married a man nearly thirty years her senior thanks to an arranged marriage and she saw no reason the opposite could not be true.

"Oh no, Professor," Bellatrix said with a smile as she put her arm around the youth, causing him to blush. "It will not just be Cissy who gets to marry young Harry here. The idiots made the contract for the Daughters of the House of Black without specifying who would be the ones getting married. So, as all three of us have returned to the house of our father, we will all be marrying young Harry here to prevent the penalties that they put in place," the raven-haired witch said. "I promised myself I would never marry another idiot like Rudolphus and it would seem we need to make some changes in our future husband's schooling."

The green robed witch would now have to admit she was shocked as she stared between the three women and her pupil. Marrying an older woman was one thing, but three was pushing on outlandish. "I see," she muttered before shaking her head. She had seen and heard of far more outlandish couplings such as Hagrid's father and giantess mother. She still didn't even want to think about how that had worked. "Wait a minute," she said quickly. "Did you say Sirius Black signed a marriage contract with the Potters?"

"Caught that too did you," Andy said with a sad smile. "It doesn't make a great deal of sense if you look at the story the Ministry fed us about Sirius' betrayal of the Potters and the murder of Peter Pettigrew." As she talked the professor looked at Harry who seemed to find his shoes rather interesting compared to everything else in the room. "We've given it some thought and believe that there was a horrible misunderstanding. Well, Harry here actually beat us all to it," she said with a smile at the blushing teen.

"If I was in my parent's shoes and using the Fid.. Fidelius," he asked, looking at the woman who nodded. "If I was using the Fidelius Charm and needed a Secret Keeper, I wouldn't use Ron or Hermione, they're too obvious, I would have used someone no one would suspect and let Voldemort think it was them." He said slowly as if checking what he was saying in his mind. "Everyone says that Peter was a cowardly little guy who hid behind powerful people. I would have used someone like him myself. So, what if Sirius Black actually tracked down Peter Pettigrew and not the other way around?"

Minerva nodded her head, that certainly seemed like a plan the Marauder's would have come up with, always one step ahead of everyone else. "I'm sorry Harry, while your theory does cast some doubt on Black's guilt, there are still the murders of Pettigrew and twelve muggles," she said sadly. She had always liked Sirius and James, the two stood proudly out as Gryffindor's during their time at school even if they did have the penchant for retaliation and not coming to an authority figure. James' infatuation with Lily nearly mirrored Severus' own obsession with the redheaded witch who had the odd distinction of playing Helen of Troy between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins during her school years.

"Its still enough to cast doubt on Fudge though," Bellatrix said with gleaming blue eyes. "As we were just telling Rita, isn't it odd how Cornelius was the first on the scene and obliviated all the witnesses before any else could arrive," she said with a grin as Minerva's eyes grew wide. "Fudge built his entire campaign to become Minister for Magic on Sirius' capture all those years ago, and now Sirius has escaped Azkaban on his watch. It does make one question the validity and stability of our Minister's term."

"One must also take into account the Minister's act of throwing an innocent man in Azkaban just a few months ago," Andromeda took over for her sister. "We can use Rubeus Hagrid as an example of this seemingly disturbing pattern," the chocolate-haired black continued. "We also have an eyewitness to the fact that the half-blood Tom Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort, is alive if not well and has tried to return to power twice."

The greying witch shook her head as she seemed to jump ahead in the scheming of the sisters. "I see what you have planned," she said with another glance at the silent Harry. "You use the information about Tom Riddle to undermine You-Know-Who's followers and shake their belief in their leader, while simultaneously getting our buffoonish Minister tossed out of office. I suppose you have a candidate lined up?"

Bellatrix giggled, a sight Minerva never thought he would see, and smiled at the Deputy Headmistress. "There is a reason why I asked for Harry's grades and changes in courses," she admitted. "I plan to unseat Fudge and with Harry's support take the position of Minister," she explained. "I can have the Ministry ready to defend itself in only a few short years, but I'll need Narcissa's help," she said.

"I plan to take the Black seat on the Board of Governors," the blonde-haired Black said with a shrug. "The first order of business will to see Severus Snape out the door and Horace Slughorn return to the position of potion's professor and Head of Slytherin. Since Snape took over the position the number of Aurors and Healers have plummeted. We as a people are vulnerable in a way we never were before thanks to that man," she explained.

"While I must agree that Fudge is an embarrassment to our country and Severus has done more harm than good since he took on the position I'm afraid I don't understand why you are telling me all this," Minerva said as she glanced at the sisters. "I thought I was merely brought in to talk about Mr. Potter's schooling."

It was Andromeda who leaned forward to answer for her sisters. "To tell you the truth, Harry here felt that it would be a useless measure in talking to you," she said with a gesture to the boy. Minerva felt as if she had been slapped across the face at the announcement. "It seems he has tried to go to you with problems in the past only for his words to be ignored. He wanted to talk to Dumbledore but since the Headmaster isn't here we decided to go to his second in command. Honestly Minerva, we have very little doubt that every word of this meeting will make it to the old man' ear before dark. Besides, you will know all about it at breakfast tomorrow when the _Prophet_ arrived."

"So, you have no reason to hide the information," Minerva said with a nod as she attempted not to dwell on Harry's lack of confidence. "Very well. Shall we go on to Mr. Potter's education?" Seeing the nods of the others and Harry's pleading look she sighed. "Mr. Potter is an intelligent young man who finds his focus pursuing matters outside the classroom. Whatever mystery he finds usually takes precedence over his studies in his mind and his work reflects that," she explained. "While is practical use of spells is exceptional his theory and penmanship is greatly behind his peers other than Mr. Weasley. We have accommodated this due to his muggle upbringing at the fact they have long sense moved beyond quills and parchment but we have decided to start grading harsher on his written work."

"That is something we will have to focus on," Narcissa said with a nod. "We also have concerns about Severus Snape's teaching methods in class. From what Harry tells us, and his stories are backed up by my knowledge of events from Draco's accounts, the man from day one has simply put the instructions on the board and allowed the children to start brewing. His homework only asks for uses for the potion they made in class. There is no focus on preparation of ingredients or their various reactions when mixed something which has resulted in numerous problems for Mr. Longbottom."

Minerva didn't want to think about just how far Hogwarts had fallen when it came to their students education and safety. She knew it was a problem as of late, especially since Harry had arrived. At one time Albus had been able to juggle all of his responsibilities admirably but he was getting old and stretched to thin and the teachers had thousands of students to look after. "I agree," she said after a long quiet moment. "Now, what classes did you want Harry to switch? I understand he signed up for Care of Magical Creatures and Divination before the end of the year, why change it?"

"I'm ill prepared to take my station as Lord Peverell," the boy spoke up quietly as he held out his family ring for Minerva to see. "I know almost nothing about our world or proper etiquette," he admitted. "I need to change my classes to show this and not just lay about this upcoming year. I need to change my courses to Magical Theory, Politics and Economics as well as Family and Duty," he said as he ran a hand through his messy hair, an action that reminded Minerva of his father.

"I am glad to see you taking your responsibilities so seriously," she said with a small smile at the boy before she turned to the sisters. "I suppose that will be easy enough to arrange. Was there anything else we need to go over while I'm here?" She desperately needed to get back to Hogwarts and talk to Albus about this conversation. There was almost no predicting how he would act to both the Black sister's plans and their upcoming nuptials to Harry.

"Oh yes, just one more thing," Bellatrix said with a grin as she unwrapped her arm from her betrothed and leaned forward. "We'll need room and board for the four of us. We need to learn as much as we can about our future husband and at least become friends before the wedding next summer," she said causing the greying professor to gasp at the news. "Yes, your idiot Gryffindors made it so we must marry before Harry sees his fourteenth birthday or we'll all lose our magic and die. I'd prefer that to not happen myself. Plus we can use the time to help Harry catch up to where he needs for school and plan the wedding."

"I... I see," Minerva said in shock. She quietly wondered how Lily would have let her husband and his best friend arrange something like that. Guilty or not, Sirius was going to feel the sting of her wand if she ever managed to get her hands on him. "I take it that all of this will be in the paper tomorrow," she asked nervously. Seeing the women nod, she sighed. "Would it be possible if I speak to Mr. Potter alone for a while," she questioned.

"Of course," Andromeda said a she stood to her feet, her sisters rising at Harry's sides. "We'll go and over see the lunch preparations while you talk. Harry would you like something to drink? We have butterbeer if you want some," she said to the boy who was still looking at his feet. Hesitantly he nodded and the woman smiled. "How about you Minerva? Would you carry for anything other than tea?"

"Aye, but I'll be waiting to return to my office before I go for something stronger," she said with a look at the twin to Bellatrix. The other woman gave a polite laugh before she excused herself and followed her sisters out of the room. Minerva took a deep breath and released it before she turned her attention back to her student. "Harry, how are you holding up? I'm sure this is a lot to take in and you've had precious little time to do so if I'm not mistaken."

The boy nodded his head in response. "I, well, we only found out yesterday," he admitted with a tired sigh. "I don't honestly have a clue about what I'm doing. I smile and nod my head like I understand and I do a bit but," he stopped and sighed. "I'm thirteen and marrying three women who have previously been married before to older men. I'll have a stepdaughter who has already graduated from Hogwarts and is in her last year of training as an Auror. I just keep telling myself my dad wanted this, that he was looking out for my future but its difficult."

"I won't pretend to understand what you are going through," she said softly as she moved to sit next to Harry and pat him on the shoulder softly. "The adults are moving pieces around a chessboard and barely including you, huh," she asked. When Harry nodded his head and continued to stare at the floor she sighed. "Harry, have they explained to you just what exactly it is they are doing and what your part is in all of it?"

"We'll use Sirius Black to discredit the Minister," Harry said quietly. "Bella says she has some evidence about Fudge having a hand in Black's escape and turned over what she knew to that Skeeter lady," he continued. "They want to use my fame to make changes in the world but," he bit his lip as though deciding whether to continue, "I hate my fame. I hate the reminder of losing my parents and to use their sacrifice as a means to further someone's goals seems like I'm slapping them in the face."

Minerva squeezed his shoulder in support as he talked. "Harry, you've been given a power greater than you know. Normally I don't condone the use of fame for personal gain, but from what I understand those three are making plans for the future and the hopefully betterment of our world. That is not being disrespectful to your parents but rather championing their cause against You-Know-Who," she explained. "I remember I once confiscated a muggle comic book from a student and perused it to find a rather inspirational line directed at the spider powered hero. With great power comes great responsibility."

Seeing him look at her with those green eyes of his made her smile. She had never married and never had children, but she imagined if she ever did they might have turned out like the boy sitting next to her, raven-haired, green-eyed and with a heart several sizes to big. "I'll make sure your classes are changed to the ones you want," she said and she softly brushed away his fringe that was partially blocking her view of his eyes. "Now, if you'll excuse me I must get back to Hogwarts to make the necessary preparations for the change and to tell Headmaster Dumbledore about what we talked about." She stood and walked back to her seat to collect her bag before turning back to him with a smile. "I expect great improvement this year, Mr. Potter. Tell the Mesdames Potter that I have shown myself out," she said with a teasing smile.

Harry flushed at the thought of the three women taking on his family name. "I will Professor," he said as he stood up from the seat. "I need to be going to lunch anyway, ever since my family ring fixed my body I've been hungrier than usual," he admitted.

"As long as your manners are better than those of Mr. Weasley, I won't say a word," the elderly witch said with a smile at the boy. Turning on her heel she made her way out of the manor. Her mind was still on overload from what she had learned in her meeting with the Blacks and Potter, but one thought continuously made itself known. '_I'm going to kick the old man's ass for sending me out here_.'

* * *

**_Most Eligible Wizard Bachelor Off Market_**

_by Rita Skeeter_

_In what many would call the coup of the century, Mr. Harry Potter, now officially taking the title of Lord Peverell has been swept off the market thanks to a marriage contract signed by his late father, James Potter and notorious Sirius Black. This reporter managed to get the scoop on the upcoming nuptials and it is a strange tale! So who is it that has been lucky enough claim the title as the future Mrs. Potter? Well it wasn't one witch, but three! Bellatrix, Andromeda and Narcissa Black have all been roped into this sordid affair and seem to be eager for things to progress._

_The contract, which I happened to see, stated that Mr. Potter must marry the 'Daughters of the House of Black' by his fourteenth birthday or both houses would fall to ruin, the participants would have their magic taken and their lives lost. It is easy to see that this contract was meant to bring together the Houses of Potter and Black though the marriage of Harry Potter and the future children of Sirius Black should he have any daughters. This brings the question of exactly why Sirius Black, mass-murderer and right hand man to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would agree to a marriage between his children and those who fought against his master._

_Harry Potter has come up with an intriguing theory of his own that stands against the claims of Minister Fudge. "Sirius Black was supposedly my parents Secret Keeper and everyone knew it. That doesn't make any sense to me honestly. Why would you proudly proclaim yourself the Secret Keeper and then betray the secret? It seems to me that Sirius Black was a decoy while Peter Pettigrew was more likely the Secret Keeper. In which case, Sirius Black hunted down Peter Pettigrew for his betrayal. Sadly we'll never know the truth as Minister Fudge, who was a Obliviator at the time, erased everyone's memories before others arrived and all while Sirius Black laughed in the background."_

_Even more damage has been thrust upon our Minister by the revelation that he had stopped to talk to Black during his tour of Azkaban Prison. Supposedly the Minister had brought in contraband in the form of a newspaper that he then handed over to Black. It was that night that the first reporting of the proclaimed mass-murderer began his nightly mutterings of 'He's at Hogwarts'. Could Cornelius Fudge have helped give Sirius Black the drive he needed to escape prison?_

_Mr. Potter is correct that no one will know the real events that took place between Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew that day. This reporter then went to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for statements from Sirius Black's questioning and trial only there wasn't any. It would seem that the man who was never tied to You-Know-Who before November 1st 1981 was thrown into Azkaban Prison without trial or even being questioned. This is a dangerous trend as I learned from Mr. Potter as the Minister has thrown other innocent people into the dementor filled prison including Hogwarts own Gamekeeper, Rubeus Hagrid!_

_"It was weird," Mr. Potter said. "The Minister just showed up at Hagrid's door with an order for his arrest and said he was going to be held in Azkaban. He said the Ministry had to be seen doing something."_

_I looked into this, my dear readers, and indeed Rubeus Hagrid did spend two months in Azkaban last year for crimes he didn't commit. The crime was the petrification of a cat, a ghost and multiple students throughout the school year an act that was later proved as perpetrated by a man named Tom Marvolo Riddle, half-blood who turned in Hagrid years before for the death of the notorious bathroom haunting ghost, Moaning Myrtle. As it turns out, Tom Marvolo Riddle has another name, one many are to afraid to speak. Yes my readers, Tom Marvolo Riddle, the letters when rearranged spell 'I am Lord [You-Know-Who]'._

_How does Mr. Potter know this? Because He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named told him to his face! Two years ago Mr. Potter returned to our world as a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and each year he has met You-Know-Who face to face. These confrontations are known by Headmaster Dumbledore who serves as the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, who one would believe relaid these events to Minister Fudge, so why hasn't he done anything? If You-Know-Who is still out there, we have a right to know!_

_Miss Bellatrix Black, one of the future brides to Mr. Potter had this to say. "Perhaps we made a mistake voting Cornelius Fudge in as Minister for Magic. We passed over Barty Crouch for throwing his son who pleaded innocent in prison without a chance to argue his case. Now we have a man who also seems happy to throw innocents to the dementors while ignoring the fact that Tom Riddle is trying to return to power. We need a strong person in position of power and Fudge just isn't cutting it. We might be back at war any minute now and never know it!"_

_For more information on Azkaban turn to page 3._

_For more on Sirius Black: Page 4_

_For information about Cornelius Fudge: Page 6_

* * *

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore sat back in his seat inside his office and for once actually paid attention to the words coming out of the potions professor's mouth. His blue eyes hadn't twinkled since Minerva had returned from Black Hall the day before as he took in everything that the sisters' had said and their plans for their world. Had he really gotten so old that he had not noticed the damage his plans had actually been causing to the world? "Severus, shut up," he snapped after a having heard enough.

"... tter-spawn...Lucky Bastard...thinks I'll bow down..." the greasy haired man paused to stare at the man across his desk in shock. The look in the Headmaster's eyes was frightening and Severus remembered just who he was dealing with. This was not some simple Headmaster who had gone senile but the master of transfiguration who had personally dueled two dark lords. "I, I'm sorry Headmaster," the former Death Eater muttered in surprise.

"I have given you leeway in the past Severus," the old man said as he stood to his full height, an act that caused Severus to slump down into a seat beside the Head of Gryffindor House. "The Blacks are playing hardball and already the Ministry is doing what it can for damage control but the news that Lord Voldemort is still alive has the people baying for Fudge's blood," the old man said gesturing at his news paper. "I brought you on staff because we made deal, Severus, a deal you seem eager to forget," Dumbledore snarled. "You swore to protect Harry Potter for as long as he doesn't know it, and I took your word on Lily Evan's grave, but you have done the exact opposite. You have spit in the face of the woman you claim to love."

Snape reared back as if he had been slapped but Albus pushed forward. "I still need you close for Voldemort's return but you will be moved to another position within the castle. Your positions are here by stripped, as is your ability to take away points and assign detentions," Dumbledore growled turned his back on the man. "I was lucky enough to catch Horace through the floo and he has agreed to return to take back his duties while you will be brewing potions for the Hospital Wing as Madam Pomfrey's assistant, do I make myself clear?"

Severus snarled and looked as if he wanted to argue, but one look at Dumbledore's stiff back and the feeling of power washing off the old man was enough to render any arguments quiet. "I understand, Headmaster," he finally managed to get out even as his hands squeezed on his armrests turning his knuckles white.

"I was content to sit and wait for Voldemort's return, a mistake on my part," Albus admitted as he stroked the feathers of his Phoenix, Fawkes, who trilled under his attention. "The Blacks and Harry are being proactive, a stance I should have taken, but I was so tired," the Headmaster admitted warily. "I've spent my life fighting in one way or another. I failed to stop Gellert when he were young and I failed to curb Tom when he was a student. Now look at how our world has suffered," he sighed.

Minerva, who had watched the events play out finally decided to speak up. "What are going to do about Bellatrix though," she asked cautiously. "You can't mean to allow her to become Minister for Magic, Albus. We all know she was in You-Know-Who's inner circle the last time he came to power, this could be a ploy to hand the country over to him on a silver platter!"

"I sincerely doubt that, Minerva," Dumbledore said patiently toward his Deputy. The anger he had shown to Severus no where present as he talked to her. "I doubt Bellatrix would have agreed to out Voldemort as a half-blood if she meant to return to his service," he said with a smile. "Bellatrix has always had a love for power and Lord Voldemort promised her that power only to never deliver on his promise. Lord Peverell on the other hand has power beyond what Tom could conceive and Bellatrix will receive much of it after they marry."

"Narcissa will become the power in this school," Severus said warily. "Lucius was booted by a majority vote and is now a laughing-stock with his marriage dissolved and Narcissa spreading word of Draco Malfoy's real mother," he explained. "Bellatrix and Andromeda were the duelists but Narcissa was the strategist and she will be pulling strings within a month of arriving. I would say it isn't long before you are replaced as Headmaster and the find someone more fitting to take your place."

Minerva shook her head at that. "They're smarter than that. Albus is the only one You-Know-Who seemed to fear going up against. As long as he is at Hogwarts the school is safe."

"Thank you for the support, Minerva, but I'm afraid you're wrong," the old man said sadly as he looked down at the wand on his desk. "I told you once that Lord Voldemort has powers I could never dream of, and I meant it," he said with a hard look at his two staff members. "I won't go into detail but let us just say that Tom Riddle is exceptionally dangerous and skilled, more so than even Gellert. Since the beginning of our war I have used a crutch to boost my power and have still only been able to come to a draw with him. Voldemort is wary but he is not afraid of me."

Both Minerva and Severus stilled at the announcement of their leader. "This will be my last year as Headmaster," Dumbledore continued in a tired voice. "I will put in a good word for you Minerva but it will be up to the board to select the my successor," he added.

"What about me," Severus said angrily as he stood up from his seat. "What am I to do when you are gone and someone else takes your place? Do you expect anyone else to keep me around? I'll be out on my ass before they've shut the doors behind you!"

"Than perhaps you should have taken your positions more to heart," Albus said with a glare at his spy. "You have brought your troubles down upon your own head, Severus Snape and I have done what I can for you," he reminded him. "I will have more time to focus on my position of Chief Warlock and plan to give Bellatrix Black my support in her campaign for Minister. Hopefully between the two of us and Amelia Bones we can correct some of the damage you and I have caused over the last decade."

Minerva licked her lips wondering what she could possibly say after an announcement like that. Finally she just decided to continue with arrangements the Black sisters had requested. "Will we be making room for the Black sisters to stay at Hogwarts this year," she asked quietly. She felt like her mind was on overload with news lately. Harry was marrying three women old enough to be his mother who were making plans to supplant their world and now Albus was leaving Hogwarts.

"Hmm," the old man asked turning to the transfiguration professor. "Oh, yes we will be making accommodations," he said waving his hand as though it was nothing. "We'll be moving Mr. Potter and his betrothed to the teacher's wing," he said after only a few moments of thought. "Please speak to the Grey Lady about possible rooms for them and have the elves clean them up." He paused as he took his seat once more and lifted his wand as if inspecting it. "Minerva, make the password 'Deathly Hallows' and instruct Lord Peverell that it will be homework for him to figure out what it means."

As the two teachers stood up Dumbledore called for Minerva to stay a moment. "I have the requested item for Miss Granger," Albus said, holding the hourglass pendant up by its chain. "Make sure she receives it will you?"

"Of course Headmaster," the greying woman said as she took the time-turner and slipped it into her pocket. "Albus, we will miss you," she said suddenly as he looked at her employer and former teacher.

The headmaster smiled as he ran his hand over his lengthy beard. "I will miss you all as well," he said with a tiny smile.

* * *

Beneath the main floor of Black Hall the brown-haired witch, Andromeda, stood above a pristine pewter cauldron filled with sparkling distilled water that the elves had managed to procure for her. Across from her, sitting in a transfigured desk was her husband-to-be who had a stack of blank notebooks and a calligraphy pen shaped like a feather. "These lessons will be two-fold," she commented as she laid out her ingredients on the workbench next to her. "I will be teaching you the hows and whys of potion brewing and you'll be practicing your calligraphy by taking notes, understood?"

Her dark eyes watched as the wizard nodded before she continued. "Now, first of all we start with our cauldron, scrubbed clean with good old-fashioned elbow-grease and not magic," she paused and looked at him. "Can you tell me why we don't use magic to clean the cauldron's?"

The youth hemmed and hawed for a moment before deciding to speak. "Is it because its dangerous to use magic around a potion because you don't know what the reaction will be," he asked. When he saw her smile he felt his chest tighten for the first time in a long time. He blushed and quickly turned to his notebook, carefully dragging his pen's tip as he wrote out his answer.

"Correct. That's also why we used distilled water and not charmed or tap water. We don't know what could happen if the chemicals in muggle water were combined with a potion, or what magic could do to affect it," she said glad that Harry could grasp the concept, it had taken Nymphadora until she studied for her owls to figure out why her home-brewed potions kept exploding. "Now, the reason we thoroughly clean our cauldrons after every potion is not to cause contamination. Do you have any idea what happens when a Boil Cure Potion mixes with Babbling Beverage," she asked curiously. When Harry shook her head she sighed. "The two seemingly innocuous potions, when combined, form a poison that causes boils to develop on the tongue and vocal cords," she explained.

"Now, our first potion we'll be working on a simple Boil-Cure but we'll be going over the steps," she continued motioning for Harry to open his book. "First we take six snake fangs and place them in the mortar. Make sure the fangs are not from a venomous snake," she said quickly as she lifted the pestle and began to grind the fangs into a powder. "Now we grind them into powder. We do this because the powder when brought to boiling will release its chemical make up more evenly throughout the potion then if we just boiled the fangs," she explained.

"Now, we add four tablespoons of powdered fang into our cauldron," she said as she showed him how to do so. "We are using four because this is a standard cauldron. For every increase in or decrease in volume of our cauldron we add or subtract our measurements." Harry was writing down what she said, forgetting that he was supposed to be writing as neatly as possible in exchange for actually being taught potions. "Now, we blast this potion's temperature to 250 degrees, the temperature which causes the best reaction for powdered fang, for ten seconds," she said before aiming her wand at the flames beneath her cauldron and causing them to grow. After several seconds she cancelled her spell and waved her wand over the cauldron before setting a nearby timer. "We'll now wait between thirty-three and forty-five minutes while the fang's boil."

Harry's eyebrows furrowed as he looked at his notes. So far he had learned more in five minutes under Andromeda's teaching then he had in the last two under Snape. "I never knew any of this," he said before looking up at his fiancé and teacher. "I'm just going to go on record for my notes that the reason we don't use venomous snake fangs is because it would change the potion to something else?"

"Venomous fangs are only used with silver cauldrons," Andy said as she eyed her boiling cauldron with a measured eye. "The use of such in a pewter cauldron will cause the potion to do the opposite of what you intended. So you'll get a potion that makes boils instead of cures them."

Harry blinked in surprise at that. He had always thought it was the porcupine quills Neville had added to early that made the potion act as it had. "So, would adding the porcupine quills while the potions is still on the fire cause it to melt down? I'm only asking because in our first class, Neville's cauldron melted and his potion ate anything it came in contact with while causing people's skin to burst into boils."

"You are correct again," Andromeda said with a full smile this time. "Adding porcupine quills while the potion is still on the fire will cause it to become acidic," she lectured. "While it sounds as though _Mister_ Snape, we will not honor the man by calling him a professor, did mention the porcupine quills he did not correct Neville about the fangs."

"Well, he actually didn't explain anything," Harry said. "He just called Neville an idiot and said he didn't take the potion off the fire before adding the quills. He never explained to us why his potion had the reaction it did. I just kind of put everything together while you were explaining it," he added while blushing slightly.

Andromeda shook her head at the man's actions. "Like I said, we shall refer to him as Mister Snape," she repeated. "Now, lets see how well your notes are looking," she demanded as she walked around her work station and up to Harry's desk. Her eyebrow raised slightly at the blotches and streaks that covered his paper. "Not nearly good enough Harry," she said with a sigh. "You're used to writing with a muggle pencil, correct," she asked. When he nodded she pressed on. "Pencils and pens have a different style when being used to write, you can drag your hand across the page but not really smudge your work. Here, let me show you how to hold a quill."

Harrys' face turned nearly as red as a tomato when Andromeda walked behind him and laid her arm over his so he was holding the back of his hand. "Now, what you want to do is tilt your hand so that if any part of it touches your parchment it is only the wrist," she explained. Carefully she dragged his fingers and thus the quill over his paper to show him how it was done. "You're homework tonight will be practicing your handwriting and your alphabet, both upper and lowercases," she instructed primly as she released her grip. "Now, why don't we take this time to talk," she said pleasantly.

Harry looked up at the woman he was to marry in less than a year in surprise. "Oh, okay. What do you want to talk about?"

"Well, you. Us. This is a big adjustment for all of us," she said with a wan smile. "I just got out of a marriage to a man who I once thought I loved. We were young, stupid, hormonal kids and thought we were so mature and could handle anything the world through at us. Then, I found out I was pregnant and was kicked out of my parents house as soon as I finished Hogwarts. My aunt even burned me off the family tapestry for daring to get impregnated by a 'mudblood'. Her words, not mine," Andy said when she saw Harry's eyes narrow.

"It didn't exactly go well, Harry," she admitted. "I missed my family and he was certain I only got pregnant to trap him in a marriage. We spent many bitter years trapped inside a house together, doing our best to hide our resentment from our daughter. Don't get me wrong, I had no problems with Nymphadora, I love her more than breathing," she said. "Merlin did I grow to hate her father though," she practically hissed as her eyes narrowed. "It wasn't hard to figure out that he was 'exploring other avenues' while we were still married, probably laughing about it behind my back. I eventually showed him though," she said with an evil grin as she stared off into space. "Wham, a boiling curse straight to his bits as I walked out the door for the final time."

The wizard moved his hands to 'rest' in his lap, just over her groin as he stared at her in fear. "I, I'm sorry to hear that, Miss Black," he said carefully as he cautiously eyed her wand laying on the workstation behind her. "I know its pretty soon and that any affection for one another will have to grow in time. We don't really need to love each other but we can at least be friends," he said with a cautious smile.

"You are wise beyond your years Harry," Andy said when she turned her eyes back to him. Seeing him there, his hands protectively cupping his groin and his face as white as paste made her blush as she recalled just what it was she had said. "I don't blame you for this marriage, Harry. I can blame Sirius and your father, but not you." She smiled at him hoping to alleviate his nervousness.

The young wizard was quiet for a long time as he thought about what Andy had said and how open she had been to say it. He wondered if he would be able to tell her his own story, the story of his life before Hogwarts and before he found friends. Sighing deeply to himself he finally came to a decision. "I grew up in a cupboard," he said, the words barely above a whisper. "From the time they dropped me off at my relatives until I got my Hogwarts letter my bedroom was the cupboard under the stairs..."

Andromeda listened in shock as the most famous boy in the magical world told her about a life of separation from the any sort of normalcy. How could anyone take a baby and lock them in a cold dark cupboard, or take swings at him with a frying pan? He was starved for food as punishment and denied any form of intimacy. He admitted to bringing his fears to his new life and how grades suffered for fear of losing his best friend, Ron Weasley. She moved to sit beside him as he cried into her shoulder at the mistreatment and how his fame was basically thrust on him without any prior knowledge or a chance to adapt to his new life.

"Sh, shh," she whispered as she stroked his hair softly and simply held him as leaned into her even though his arms remained at his sides. "It's alright Harry, it's okay," she said softly. "Black Hall is your home now and we'll never let you go back to those... creatures again." As if on cue the timer for the potion went off and Andy smiled at the ringing. "Alright Harry, a bit of normalcy will do you good," she said as she extricated herself from him. "Now, when we left off we added the powdered snake fangs, so now we are moving on to the horned slugs. The reason we use horned slugs and not normal ones are..."

* * *

Out in the hall, Bellatrix was snarling as she looked at her blonde little sister. She couldn't believe the audacity of what she had just heard and angry red sparks flew from the tip of her wand to smack into the ground. "I told you," Bellatrix growled. "I told you all a while ago," she looked at her sister who had an equally infuriated look upon her face, "muggles are animals."

* * *

Please leave a review. Thank you for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note**_: I'm sorry for how long this chapter took and how short it is. When I started this story I was on vacation from work, so I just wrote as much as I could, but with my promotion I won't be able to write as much or as quickly but I won't abandon this story. It will probably take me much longer and the updates might be once every few days or once a month, but I will continuously be working on it.

Now, to answer some questions.

_Is Death from Deadpool_? Yes it is. It came down to Deadpool's Death or Supernatural's Death, and while Supernatural's would have been fun, having an omnipotent being flirt with Harry was to good an opportunity to pass up.

_What will happen to the Dursleys_? I haven't decided yet. We can see a bit of Petunia's feelings in this chapter, but Vernon and Dudley are still to come. And the Blacks haven't even gotten to them yet.

_Why isn't Dumbledore a Manipulative Bastard_? Because I didn't feel like writing that to be honest. The Evil! or Manipulative! Dumbledore stories are getting old in my opinion. A Dumbledore who realizes how stretched he is and the mistakes he has made is much more interesting to me.

_Why doesn't Harry own Hogwarts_? Because other factors will be coming into play over Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. If I just gave someone complete and total control there wouldn't be as much of a story at Hogwarts and I'd be focusing on the Ministry of Magic instead.

_Where are Draco and Lucius Malfoy's reactions_? They'll be coming up later.

* * *

**_Dementors to be Sorted at Hogwarts!_**

_By: Rita Skeeter_

_Riding on the back of the travesty that was the Quidditch Cup Opening Ceremony, the Ministry of Magic held a press conference on the ongoing matter of Sirius Black. While there were no comments on the standing of Black's questionable guilt, the Ministry seems to be doing all it can to end the this debate once and for all. Sirius Black, on orders of the Minister Cornelius Oswald Fudge, has received a Kiss On Sight order for the Dementors. How will these Dementors be finding Mr. Black? By joining your children at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!_

_"We, your Ministry of Magic, will not take part in the debate of Sirius Black's innocence or guilt," the Minister says. "Black is a deranged individual, seeking only his former master's bidding. Mr. Pott- er - Lord Peverell is new to our world and does not understand the practice of our justice system. For his, and all your children's safety, this year Hogwarts will be playing host to a contingent of Dementors, one hundred strong. They will find Black, Kiss him, and then all this nonsense about his innocence will be forgotten."_

_Dementors, for my readers who don't know, are Dark Creatures who feed on misery and despair. They make their victims relive their worst memories before performing their most destructive ability, the Dementor's Kiss. The Kiss is a the last thing victims can identify in this world as their souls are literally sucked out of their bodies through their mouths. This leaves the unfortunate being left as nothing more than a brain dead inmate, surviving on our taxes at St. Mungos. _

_Reports state that Albus Dumbledore is not happy with the inclusion of Dementors on his school's roster for the year and he has been seen meeting with Minister Fudge and his Senior Undersecretary on several occasions throughout the day trying to stop it. However, the Minister seems to be standing firm on its position. _

_Bellatrix Black, one of Lord Peverell's three upcoming brides has this to say. "I don't know what is going through the mind of the Minister to put so many children at risk. Dementors do not care about innocence, guilt or who gets in their way so long as they get to feed. When word reached us about the press conference, we had to take a long time to decide whether or not to put ourselves and our betrothed in danger by returning to Hogwarts this year. In the end, it was decided that we would be returning if for no other reason than to stand as barrier between the Dementors and the children who would so easily fall prey to those nightmares."_

_Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement agreed with Miss. Black. "While the Ministry has always provided a united front, this is going to far," she says. "The Department Heads have been over ruled in this matter though and the Minister is well within his rights to make such a bold move on the Ministry's behalf. However, one thing he cannot do is halt an investigation and we at the DMLE are hard at work on the case of Sirius Black and his missing questioning and trial."_

_So, my loyal readers, you're favorite reporter can only question the sanity of our Minister at this stage. Will you quietly sit back and allow our children to be treated like the prisoners of the most feared prison under Britain's control or will you let your voices be heard? There will be more reports to come as the continuously escalating case of Sirius Black continues._

_**Quidditch Cup Opening Ceremony Ends In Disaster**_

_by: Spee D. Reeder_

_Tragedy struck yesterday's Quidditch Cup Opening, held this year in the Hoia-Baciu Woods of Romania, that rendered hundreds physically wounded as thousands stampeded from the stadium. It wasn't the first time the Mascots caused such a devastating reaction but this weekends opening was the worst we've seen in living memory. In order to show their dominating team spirit, no less than three dragons were used as mascots at the colorful festival and show that precedes the World Cup Series. England who has a long-standing tradition of using Golden Snidgets for their mascots decided to bring a ferocious and nesting Hiberdian Black._

_This may not have been an issue if not for the Transylvanian team had brought a Romanian Longhorn and Peru came ready with a Peruvian Vipertooth. Everything might have gone well if not for the actions of a lone wizard, one Derrick Jeeters. Mr. Jeeters in a display of magic that many found well beyond the man's capabilities, managed to either kill or stun all the handlers for the three titanic beasts before setting them free. After his campaign to free the dragons was successful he soon found himself as their first victim. After he was burned and torn to shreds by the dragons, they began to fight over his remains, a fight that spilled into the stadium where a mass riot for safety began.  
_

_While we may never know what prompted Mr. Jeeters to free the dragons, some eye-witnesses have stepped forward. "It was like he was possessed," Mary Heartbright says. "I've never seen him like that before. He usually doesn't laugh maniacally or wear silly blue fedoras to cover his head. It was while the dragons were fighting over his body though that I saw it, a black smoke thing just lifted up out of his head and took off into the forest."_

_"Like, I knew these woods were haunted," an American named Mr. Norville Rodgers says. Mr. Rodgers had seen fit to enjoy the opening scene with his Crup-Great Dane hybrid for the talking dog's birthday. "The Veela were fine and the food was awesome, haha," Mr. Rodgers continues nervously, "but then I saw the Black Smoke Monster. Like, we ran to my old van and hid for the rest of the ceremony!"_

_When asked to comment on the strange turn of events the Ministry Spokeswoman and Senior Undersecretary of the Minister, Deloris Umbridge had this to say. "What transpired at the World Cup Opening was a tragedy but the Minister and the British Ministry cannot be held accountable for the losses suffered on foreign soil at the hands of a madman. We are focused on the capture of Sirius Black not some made up boogieman in a forest somewhere. Mr. Jeeters paid for his crimes and that is all we have to say on the matter."  
_

_So what did happen at the Opening? Was it the work of a lone man who wanted to see lives lost or dragons freed? Or, was he possessed by the spirit that is said to roam the Hoia-Baciu Woods, feeding on its victims and leaving a trail of withered corpses in its wake? The Daily Prophet will stay on the case until this mystery is solved! Tomorrow though, the games will begin as Japan takes on the Union of Soviet Magical Republics.  
_

* * *

Harry sat across from one of the three women most feared throughout England by its Dark, Light and Neutral supporters. Bellatrix's wand danced in her fingers like a baton as she absentmindedly went through the boy's homework from the past two years of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Judging by the growing snarl on the woman's lips she was not happy with what she was seeing in the lease. "Are you to tell me that you, at the ages of eleven and twelve, twice fought the Dark Lord with this being the accumulation of your knowledge," she practically hissed.

The poor wizard who was wiggling in the comfortable chair he had been provided could somewhat understand her outrage. His first year he had been taught by Quirrell, the man pretended to stutter all year-long and the constant headaches Harry had received in that class due to how close he was to Voldemort had only made things worse since he couldn't focus. His second year, surprisingly, had been worse than the first. Lockhart had been a joke from the beginning making them study the tales of other, greater wizards, while writing sonnets to the man about his false heroics.

"I didn't use my wand either time," Harry finally said with a shrug. That news made Bella's eyes widen in shock at her future husband. "The first time I ki...I took out Quirrell with my bare hands. The second time Riddle had my wand the entire time I battled the Basilisk with the Sword of Gryffindor. At this rate, I'm starting to get more annoyed with him and the fact everyone keeps shuddering at his name than anything else." He didn't say it as if he was bragging but more as just a statement.

The raven-haired witch stared at the boy sitting across from her in stunned silence. He thought the Dark Lord was more of an annoyance than an actual threat? Tom Riddle had taught her everything she knew about the Dark Arts and had turned her into a fighter that was second to only himself and Albus Dumbledore and Harry Bloody Potter admitted to taking him out twice without a wand, three times if one counted the original defeat as a toddler. "Be that as it may be," she said finally, "you are behind, exceedingly in what you should have been taught. Tell me, what defensive and offensive spells do you know."

"Flipendo, Incendio, Locomotor Wibbly, Locomotor Mortis, Petrificus Totalus, Titillando, Serpentsorcia, Furnunculus, Colloshoo," he began listing them off marking each one with a finger. "I did learn Expelliarmus last year after watching Snape use it on Lockhart. It looked like a descent spell."

"Only if your dueling not fighting," Bellatrix said with a shake of her head. "While many wizards are useless without a wand exceptional wizards can call their wands back to their hands. Tom Riddle is one such wizard," she said explained. "Today, we'll be focusing on something a bit more difficult," she instructed, standing to her feet. "This will not be a spell to use lightly and it is not something to use for everyday measures. I'll be teaching you the Gubraithian Fire charm, a spell that will set anything on fire forever," she lectured. "If one wanted to compare it to Fiendfyre, it would be like comparing the Cruciatus Curse to the Killing Curse."

Harry blinked in confusion and politely raised his hand. Seeing it, Bella rolled her eyes. "Speak up, this isn't a formal class room," she said.

"Well, it's just that I've never heard of Fiendfyre or the Cruciatus Curse or even the Killing Curse before," he said with a confused look on his face. He saw her watching him as if expecting that his words were a prank of some sort before sighing when he didn't so much as crack a smile.

"Great, I am marrying an idiot," she muttered before turning to face him. "Fiendfyre is a powerful fire spell one of the most ones in existence. Instead of air it consumes magic and will burn anything with magic away in mere seconds. The Cruciatus is the torture curse, it has no other function than to cause unimaginable pain on those it is cast upon and is one of the three Unforgivable Curses that will get you a life sentence in Azkaban if used on a person," she said. "The most damning of the three is the Killing Curse, Avada Kedavra, its effect is rather self-explanatory," she said with a long look at the boy that made him squirm again. "Only one person has ever survived the Killing Curse. You."

Harry stared at his future bride in surprise for a moment before his anger swell up. "Why the hell didn't anyone tell me," he nearly shouted as he jumped to his feet. "That might have been something I should know about! I thought the Dark Tosser hit me with a damn cutting curse or something," he said gesturing to his faded lightning shaped scar. "How am I still alive if he hit me with something that just kills things? The only person to tell me anything about that night was Hagrid and he just said that I must have stumped him. It didn't make sense than either! I was one for crying out loud how was supposed to have beat Voldemort and a Killing Curse? I couldn't even pee in a toilet yet!"

"Stop shouting!" The voice of Bellatrix cut through his own, making him bite his lip to keep quiet. The raven-haired witch had watched wide eyed as the boy's rage fueled his magic and caused it to lash out. She had never seen a thirteen year old use accidental magic, and she had never it literally shake a room. The distant crash of something told her it wasn't just the room he was causing to shake either. "I have no clue how you survived and I have no control over who told you anything or what you bothered to look up on your own," she growled as she narrowed her eyes, which had turned an unsettling shade of violet on the wizard. "However, you will show some sense of control over yourself and stop screaming at me or I swear to Morgana that I'll blast you, got it?"

Harry's emerald eyes narrowed at the raven-haired woman and the wand in her hand. "Don't tell me what to do," he growled as he flicked his wrist, his wand sliding from its holster on his forearm into his hand and begin shooting red sparks toward the Persian Rug that had once belonged to the original Sirius Black. "I'm sick to death of people telling me what to do," he said in a quiet voice. "I'm tired of them telling me what to feel, who to show respect for and being told to suck it up when ever I do something that causes the majority of this twisted backwards world of _yours_ to turn its back on me."

The messy-haired boy's wand arm stayed at his side but his eyes looked ready to start slinging curses of their own. "Your world keeps telling me what I should do or how I should act just because you've all put me on some sort of pedestal," he said angrily. "Now, I don't even get the same right to find love that the rest of the world has to find someone I love to get married too. I'm forced to marry you and your sisters and all you care about using me to achieve your ends just like everyone else. Well guess what Bella, I don't have to marry you," he growled. "I'll be quite happy to die a muggle on my fourteenth birthday because at least them I can find some rest and be reunited with my parents."

The dark-haired witch stared at the boy with her heavy hooded eyes for a long moment before she nodded as though please. "Good, you can stop with the theatrics now," she said calmly. "Your lack of knowledge is not entirely your fault and lays at the feet of those who should have prepared you. I am glad that you know how to play the game at least and but not the resolve to carry it through. That threat had more far reaching consequences than you probably realized. If you were to follow through, not only would the House of Potter fall but so would the House of Black and probably the rest of our society if you really are the only thing keeping the Dark Lord at bay. Congratulations."

"Wai-what," Harry asked in confusion as his anger drained away in shock. He had just threatened to kill himself and take Bella and her sisters with him and she had seemed... pleased?

"I've spent the last few days studying you. I listened to the stories you told Rita and thought them over carefully," she said with a smirk. "You went after the Philosopher's Stone so that Riddle would get it and rise again. Your main motivation in stopping him though was to protect your friends from his return. In your second year you went alone to fight a basilisk to save some girl you didn't even know simply because it was the right thing to do. You know how to threaten someone, Potter, but you don't have it in you to leave someone to die," she explained. "Your threat was empty but I suppose a talk is in order."

Harry watched as she walked across the room and calmly took her seat as if it was a throne. "Your arguments, while they seem valid to you, are stupid," she said bluntly. "You don't like being treated like a child, well to bad, you are a child even if you are to get married. We adults have lived longer than you and understand how our society, yes your society as well, works. We lived through the bulk of the last war while you are fighting what remains, admirable, shocking, but not all together impressive.

"You want to get married for love, well that's to bad. Thanks to your father and my cousin we're stuck together and will just have to deal with that. The best part about arranged marriages though is that both sides gets something out of it. I will become Minister for Magic, Narcissa will gain control of Hogwarts through the Board of Governors, and Andy wants to see the world, so once I'm Minister I'll see what I can do about moving Crouch somewhere else giving her his job. You will get children at some point I imagine," she said with a huff, like her baby sister not at all keen at ruining her figure. "That will let you have the family you so eagerly desire."

The young wizard slumped in defeat. He knew Bella was right even if he didn't want to admit it to anyone including himself. "Fine, I guess I can understand that," he conceded. "I guess we should get on with the lesson," he said hoping to get out of the presence of the woman sitting in front of him like a queen looking down on a subject.

"Very well," Bellatrix said as she stood once more and kept her dark blue eyes on the boy. "As I was saying the Gubraithian Fire charm is similar to the Cruciatus in that both cause continuous pain while Fiendfyre and the Killing Curse are almost instant death. The spell was created by Gubraith, a pyromaniac in the fourteen hundreds who devised the spell to be fed by the targets own magic. In short, a person the spell was cast on would burn for all time with their own magical reserves keeping the flames alive."

Bella was surprised to see a glint of something almost cruel appear in the eyes of the boy she was teaching. "So, if Riddle ever got his body back, I'd be able to use this spell on him," he asked carefully.

"That's why I'm teaching it to you," she said with a shake of her head at the wizard's thick head. "Now, the incantation is ..."

* * *

Remus John Lupin was naturally wary when he had received a summons to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement that morning. He really should have seen it coming, he decided, after all he was the only Marauder still alive apart from Siri- Black, and they would be questioning him eventually. That was how he found himself in his current predicament, sitting in a hard chair across from the intimidating Auror and once good friend Mad-Eye Moody and his young apprentice Nymphadora Tonks, as well as Amelia Bones, head of the Department.

"Mr. Lupin, I thank you for coming out so quickly," Madam Bones said with hard eyes directed at the shabby looking wizard. Her monocle gleamed beneath the harsh white light of the room as her red hair was pulled back up on top of her head in a bun. "Despite what many in the magical world might believe, my Department is more than just a training department for the Minister's bodyguards, and we have been investigating the case of Sirius Black since his escape. While we cannot speak openly about the ongoing investigation, we do have some questions for you."

"Remus," Mad-Eye started up as his magical whirling eye fixed on the werewolf's face even as his normal eye glanced at a sheet of paper in front of him. "You and Black were close during the last war, along with James Potter and Pettigrew," he said passing over the names quickly. He and Remus had served in Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix together in the last war and the last thing he wanted was to cause the man pain by dragging up old memories. "Where do you think Black would have gone when he escaped?"

Remus' amber eyes stare at the far wall for a second in thought. "I would have said he would go straight to check on Harry once," he said sadly. "Now, I don't know where he would go. If he was the Secret Keeper he would probably be looking for a relative who was also a Death Eater. Harry's idea in the Prophet though puts that in doubt. His version sounds like something James and Sirius would have come up with if I'm honest. I can honestly say, I have no idea where he would have gone. Sirius and I haven't spoken in twelve years, I couldn't tell you what state of mind he would be in."

"Understandable," Amelia said as she watched an enchanted quill write down his answers. "Mr. Lupin, would you have known of any reason why the Potters might have changed Secret Keeper without telling you?"

The shabbily dressed wizard gave a sigh at that. "I suppose by now you've heard of the Order of the Phoenix," he asked. Receiving an affirmative answer from the Head of the DMLE he continued. "I was asked to go to the werewolves and see if I couldn't change some of their minds from joining Voldemort's cause," he said, ignoring the winces coming from Amelia and Tonks at the name. "He was promising them better rights and freedom from the bigotry of the magical world. I was spending a lot of time with the various packs around Britain and they might have thought I was questioning which side I was on. There was also the fact there was a spy in the Order, feeding information to the Death Eaters. Nobody really trusted anybody at the time."

"Hmph, I remember that," Moody muttered with a sneer on his face. "We're sorry about this Remus, we've known almost all of this since the beginning," he admitted before he pulled out a tanned newspaper and put it on the table. "With the formalities over we can get to work. This is a copy of the paper that Fudge gave Black in prison. Do you see anything on it that would give Black the energy and need to bust out of Azkaban?"

Confused, Remus pulled the paper to him and opened it up. He could remember this one well thanks to the article about the Weasleys winning the Daily Prophet's monthly draw. He had been happy for the family, especially after learning they were friends of Harry's. Something caught his eye though that hadn't before. He never usually bothered with the pictures especially those of a family the likes he could never have, but he had been asked to look and now saw it. "That rat," he nearly whispered as he spotted the creature climbing on the youngest male's shoulder. "It can't be," he said in horror.

"What," Amelia asked standing and looking at the picture that had Remus' full attention. She barely noticed as Moody and Tonks moved to look at it as well.

"That," Remus said pointing at the rat on Ron Weasley's shoulder, "is not a rat. When I was at school my friends found out what I was and decided to help me out. They became animagi to keep themselves safe during the full moons," he admitted as he stared at the picture. "James was a Stag, Black a giant black dog, and Peter... was a rat." He glanced toward Moody who he noticed was looking at the picture with his magical eye. "Alastor, how many toes does that rat have?"

The giant blue magical eye danced over the picture for a second at the question before the auror had a look of rage upon his face. "Nineteen," he growled looking back and forth between Amelia and Remus before he turned to his apprentice. "You went to school with some of the Weasleys didn't you? Did any of them have a rat?"

"Oh! Um," Tonks grew quiet as she though about her years at Hogwarts. "Well, Charlie didn't, but his younger brother Percy did," she said after a long moment. Glancing back at the paper she pointed to the picture of the Weasleys and more importantly the rat. "That's the one he had, I think. I never really got to see it all that often, I was older and in a different house. If Charlie and I hadn't dated for a few months I probably couldn't have told you that much."

"Its a good lead though as crazy as it sounds," Moody said with a glance toward Amelia. "All of this should have come out in a trial or at least a questioning under veritaserum," he said carefully. "I'm sorry Amelia but..."

The older woman waved her hand as a hard look came over her face. "It's alright Alastor, I'll get by it. Thank you Mr. Lupin," she said turning her attention to the confused man in the room. "As you can see, the Weasleys are currently on vacation in Egypt and we'll need to wait for them to return before we can ascertain whether or not the rat is indeed an animagus. We don't want to show our hand before we can get them back inside the country."

"I understand, Madam Bones," Remus said with a sad smile as he nodded to her. "I'll wait to hear anything from you shall I? I need to get home and continue to make lesson plans for my upcoming position at Hogwarts."

"Good luck Remus," the grizzled auror said with a pat on the werewolf's shoulder. He watched as his fellow wizard walked out of the room before turning back to the two witches. His eyes focused on Amelia Bones who was chewing her lip in thought. "What are your orders?"

The stern looking older woman sighed tiredly as she look from the cadet to the grizzled war veteran. "Cadet Tonks, you will accompany auror Moody to the home of Department Head Bartemius Crouch. Look for anything suspicious," she ordered. "I'll have another team do another sweep of the Record's Hall to look for that blasted trial transcript." The red head didn't want to investigate Barty, the man had practically groomed her to take his place as the Head of DMLE when he thought he was going to become Minister. She couldn't bare the thought of him being corrupt but that was where the evidence was pointing and he had trained her to follow it. "Report back to me when you find anything useful," she snapped.

* * *

The tanned parchment shook in the bony hands of the blonde-haired woman of the house. Her pale blue eyes scanned the letter that had been slipped through her mail slot that morning again as they had several times before. The swooping green letters hadn't magically changed though, despite her wishes but also relief. She didn't even notice the sting of tears that burned at her eyes at the news that the last remnant of her family would be cutting ties with her.

Standing slowly from her spot at the kitchen table, she was glad that her husband was at work while her son was out playing. She didn't think she could handle seeing either of them at the moment. Making her way stiffly to the bathroom, she looked at the reflection of in the mirror and for the first time wondered, just who was the woman staring back. The blonde woman with the dull blue eyes, pinched face and long neck stared back at her with red rimmed watery eyes.

She had been slowly losing her family since she was ten and her sister had met that horrible boy from down the road. Her parents had praised her sister for her gifts, so outlandish and bizarre. What good had those freakish powers done in the end? Her sister had followed their parents to the afterlife rather quickly and her nephew had been unceremoniously dumped on her front porch like a crate of milk.

Again her eyes fell on the ancient parchment, looking at the loopy handwriting she had seen only twice before.

_Dear Petunia Dursley,_

_I have no doubt that already your nephew has sent you the happy news that currently fills our world. I must say, I was shocked at first to learn of young Harry's betrothal but he seems to be taking it in stride. He is a wonderful young man who tries to keep his nose to the grindstone even though other things may rise up to better hold his attention. I admit that a great deal of those things were caused by my own short sightedness and lack of action, but the boy always rises to the occasion._

_However, I do not write you tell of the boy's past but his future. With Harry's upcoming nuptials his need to return to your homestead is now obsolete as he will be moving in with his wives into their home. I don't write because I think it will matter much to you and your family, not with the way that Harry keeps begging to stay here during the summer, or his comments about what you think about his welfare, but out of politeness. While I would like for Harry to stay at your home for at least two weeks next summer, I will not be in a position to force him back and I expect him to take to this new freedom without a glance back. As such, I do not believe your presence will be necessary at King's Cross at the start of next summer, probably to both of your relief._

_Hoping all is well,_

_Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore_

The former Evans woman looked up at the mirror once more and easily wiped away the stinging salty fluid from her eyes. In her attempts to show just how loved her precious Diddykin's was and how much she would love him despite the Boy's abnormal powers she had driven off her sister's son. Her sister's eyes would never look at her again, not that they had that often in the Boy had been dropped off. It had been Vernon who had taught to the Boy not to look his betters in the eye, and she missed those eyes.

Those eyes didn't deserve the pain of looking out from the face of James Potter. If only the Boy had been a girl, a little red-headed girl with her mother's eyes, maybe things would have been better for them all. Now her Nephew was cutting ties with her, not because some Freak was hunting them, but because she had driven him away. "Good riddance," she muttered as she crumpled the parchment and tossed it in the toilet before flushing it away. With a sniff of indifference she had long ago practiced to the point of perfection she cleaned herself up and walked out of the bathroom.

"The Boy will finally be out of our hair," she said to herself, wishing she could feel the same indifference that her face showed the world.

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